VICE President Sara Duterte dismissed Malacañang’s claim that she was a “complete failure” as Education secretary, saying she simply spoke the truth about the outdated state of Philippine education.
During an interview by Alvin & Turism on August 20, 2025, at The Hague, Netherlands, Duterte said that when she resigned on June 19, 2024, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos asked her to stay, offered her another position, and even sought her help for the 2025 elections, showing, according to her, that he didn’t view her as a failure.
“So hindi yun actions ng taong tumitingin as failure ako. Action yun ng taong tumitingin na kailangan niya yung trabaho ko. So, hindi ko alam saan nangagaling yung sinasabi nilang failure ako sa Department of Education Secretary (So those weren't the actions of someone who sees me as a failure. Those were the actions of someone who believes that they need the work I was doing. So, I don't understand where people are getting the idea that I was a failure as the Secretary of the Department of Education)," she said.
She said that during her meeting with the President, Marcos asked her why she was resigning. In response, Duterte said that such matters should not be discussed, especially given the alleged attacks being directed at her.
“So matagal ko na hawak-hawak yung resignation letter na yun. Matagal ako pabalik-balik sa Malacañang pero hindi ko talaga naibigay. Pero noong June 19, 2024, doon ko naisip na yun ang pinakatamang panahon na ibigay ko na yung irrevocabile resignation ko (I had been holding that resignation letter for a long time. I kept going back and forth to Malacañang, but I just couldn’t bring myself to submit it. But on June 19, 2024, that’s when I realized it was the right time to hand in my irrevocable resignation),” she said.
Duterte also claimed that Marcos smelled of liquor during their 10:30 a.m. meeting, which, she said, reinforced her decision to resign, stressing that the true failure is someone who reeks of alcohol early in the morning.
The Vice President went on to say that the country’s education system remains “behind” compared to developed nations, although she clarified that this was merely an “observation.” She emphasized that acknowledging the reality of the country’s problems is necessary in order to find solutions.
Earlier, Presidential Communications Secretary Claire Castro said Duterte had been given an opportunity and that Marcos had trusted her as Education secretary. However, she added that it is Duterte’s successor, Sonny Angara, who is now addressing the “huge mess” that she left behind.
“It only shows that her term as DepEd secretary is a complete failure,” she said in a press briefing with national media.
To recall, Duterte resigned as DepEd secretary in June 2024 due to souring relations with the Marcoses. She served as Education secretary from 2022 to 2024. RGP