MANILA, June 20, 2022 – Outgoing Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones and other Cabinet members were recognized by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for their efforts amid the COVID-19 pandemic in their respective Departments last June 16 at the Rizal Hall, Malacañan Palace.

President Duterte conferred the Presidential Award to several Cabinet Secretaries, members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), and other medical experts during the ceremony.

“I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to His Excellency President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for this recognition. We in the Cabinet and IATF have vowed to always serve the Filipino people, and I have kept this promise close to my heart, especially in responding to the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic in basic education,” Secretary Briones said.

“This award also represents the collaborative programs and projects put together by our hardworking field officials and partners, who have always championed the welfare of the Filipino youth and children,” she added.

During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department crafted the Basic Education – Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP) to ensure that education will continue for the learners in their homes.

DepEd has also proactively provided logistical and technical assistance to the field offices and schools, including the distribution of educational gadgets and learning materials to the learners as assistance to the distance learning setup.

Briones, along with the Executive and Management Committee members, has also strengthened the education delivery in the country by virtually upskilling and reskilling teachers on the different learning modalities, among others.

“The Department has been true to its mandate in providing inclusive, liberating, accessible, and quality basic education, and that is why we formulated policies amid the pandemic that will ensure to prioritize the health and safety of the learners and teachers in this setup,” Sec. Briones noted.

Aside from Secretary Briones, Malacañang also acknowledged the services of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, IATF-IED Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galver, Jr., Presidential Communications Office and Spokesperson Martin Andanar, former Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, and other officials.

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