Negrense MP welcomes appointment of new Education Minister

Representative Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (left) and Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara. Photo via Facebook/SENATE PRIB

BACOLOD CITY – Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez has voiced his support for the appointment of Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara as the Department of Education secretary.

Although Benitez is considered a candidate for the position, he said he would support whomever President Marcos Jr. chooses for the important post.

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“We welcome the appointment of Senator Sonny Angara as education secretary. We need someone who knows our education system inside out and who understands it from both a financial and management perspective. From that perspective, Senator Angara is the right person for this position,” Benitez said in a statement on Tuesday.

“We wish Secretary-General-designate Angara every success. We fully support his leadership. We look forward to continuing to work closely with him and education stakeholders to repair our education system and adapt it to the changing times,” he added.

grateful

Benitez expressed his gratitude to officials of the Negros Occidental provincial government, his colleagues in the House of Representatives, and friends and partners in the education community who supported him in this position.

Many individuals and groups have supported Benítez for the position of education minister, citing his experience and ability in the field.

Among those supporting him are the Association of Philippine Institutions of Higher Learning, EduCorp Philippines, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, Reps. Emilio Yulo III, Mercedes Alvarez and Greg Gasataya, and University of Saint La Salle President Kenneth Martinez.

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Benitez is the co-chair of the Committee on Education in the second Congress and a former president of the Philippine Women’s University (PWU).

He has served as an assistant professor at the University of Washington in Seattle and has taught courses at Cornell University in New York, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Asia Pacific University, and the University of Washington in Princeton.

Benitez received his MA and PhD in Comparative Literature (with a minor in Southeast Asian Studies) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his BA in Comparative Literature (summa cum laude) and BA in English (magna cum laude) from Cornell University.