Secretary of Education (Philippines)

Secretary of Education
Kalihim ng Edukasyon
Official seal of the Department of Education
Incumbent Sonny Angara since July 19, 2024 [1]
Appointer	The president
Term length	Coterminous with the president
Inaugural holder	Felipe Buencamino
Formation	June 23, 1898
Website	www.deped.gov.ph

The secretary of education (Filipino : Kalihim ng Edukasyon) is the member of the Cabinet of the Philippines in charge of the Department of Education (DepEd).

The current secretary is Sonny Angara, who was sworn in on July 19, 2024. ^{[1] [2]}

Powers, duties, and functions

Under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the secretary exercises supervision and control over the entire department and performs the following functions:

• Advises the president on matters related to education.
• Establishes the policies and standards for the operation of the department pursuant to the approved programs of the government.
• Promulgates rules and regulations necessary to carry out the objectives, policies, functions, plans, programs and projects of the department.
• Promulgates issuances necessary for the efficient administration of the offices under him and proper implementations of laws relative to education.
• Exercises disciplinary powers over officials and employees in accordance with existing laws.
• Formulates and enforces a management control system to measure and evaluate performance of the department and submits periodic reports to the President.
• Prepares and submits to the president through the Department of Budget and Management the budget of the department.
• Appoints all officers and employees of the department except those whose appointment is vested in the president. ^[3]

List

Secretary of Public Development (1898–1899)

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	President
1		Felipe Buencamino (1848−1929)	September 26, 1898	January 21, 1899	Emilio Aguinaldo

Secretary of Welfare (1899)

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	President
2		Gracio Gonzaga	January 21, 1899	May 7, 1899	Emilio Aguinaldo
3		Aguedo Velarde	May 7, 1899	November 13, 1899

Secretary of Public Instruction (1901–1935)

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Governor-General
4		Bernard Moses (1846−1930) [4] [5]	September 1, 1901	December 31, 1902	William Howard Taft
5		James Francis Smith (1859−1928) [5] [6]	January 1, 1902	September 20, 1906
					Luke Edward Wright
					Henry Clay Ide
6		William Morgan Shuster (1877−1960) [6] [7]	September 28, 1906	March 1, 1909	James Francis Smith
7		Newton W. Gilbert (1862−1939) [7] [8]	March 1, 1909	December 1, 1913
					William Cameron Forbes
					Newton W. Gilbert
					Francis Burton Harrison
8		Henderson S. Martin [8] [9]	December 1, 1913	June 28, 1917
9		Charles Yeater (1861−1943) [9]	June 29, 1917	January 25, 1922
					Charles Yeater
					Leonard Wood
10		Eugene Allen Gilmore (1871−1953) [10]	January 26, 1922	June 20, 1930
					Eugene Allen Gilmore
					Henry L. Stimson
					Eugene Allen Gilmore
					Dwight F. Davis
–		Nicholas Roosevelt (1893−1982) Interim [11]	July 29, 1930	September 24, 1930
11		George C. Butte (1877−1940) [12] [13]	December 31, 1930	June 30, 1932
					George C. Butte
					Theodore Roosevelt Jr.
12		John H. Holliday [13] [14]	August 13, 1932	September 1, 1933
					Frank Murphy
13		Joseph R. Hayden (1887−1945) [14]	November 7, 1933	November 15, 1935

Secretary of Public Instruction (1935–1941)

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	President
14		Sergio Osmeña [a] (1878−1961) [15]	November 15, 1935	December 1, 1938	Manuel L. Quezon
15		Manuel L. Quezon [b] (1878−1944) [15]	December 1, 1938	April 19, 1939
16		Jorge Bocobo (1886−1965) [15]	April 19, 1939	December 24, 1941

Secretary of Public Instruction, Health and Welfare (1941–1944)

President Manuel L. Quezon issued Executive Order No. 396 on December 24, 1941, reorganizing the Department of Public Instruction as the Department of Public Instruction, Health and Welfare. ^[16]

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	President
(14)		Sergio Osmeña [a] (1878−1961) [17]	December 24, 1941	August 1, 1944	Manuel L. Quezon

Commissioner of Education, Health and Welfare (1942–1943)

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Chairman of the Philippine Executive Commission
17		Claro M. Recto (1890−1960) [18]	January 26, 1942	October 14, 1943	Jorge B. Vargas

Secretary of Information and Public Relations (1943–1945)

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	President
18		Carlos P. Romulo (1899−1985) [19] [20]	October 11, 1944	February 27, 1945	Manuel L. Quezon
					Sergio Osmeña

Minister of Education, Health and Public Welfare (1943–1944)

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	President
–		Gabriel Mañalac Acting [21]	October 20, 1943	January 1, 1944	Jose P. Laurel

Minister of Education (1944–1945)

President Jose P. Laurel issued Executive Order No. 24 on December 31, 1943, creating the Ministry of Education from the Ministry of Education, Health and Public Welfare as of January 1, 1944. ^[22]

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	President
19		Camilo Osías (1889−1976) [23]	May 18, 1944	February 27, 1945	Jose P. Laurel

Secretary of Instruction and Information (1945–1947)

President Sergio Osmeña issued Executive Order No. 27 on February 27, 1945, abolishing the Department of Information and Public Relations and creating the Department of Instruction and Information. ^[24]

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	President
(18)		Carlos P. Romulo (1899−1985) [19] [20]	February 27, 1945	March 8, 1945	Sergio Osmeña
20		Maximo Kalaw (1891−1954) [25]	March 8, 1945	May 4, 1945
21		Jose Reyes	May 5, 1945	January 3, 1946
22		Francisco Benitez	January 3, 1946	May 27, 1946
23		Manuel Gallego	May 28, 1946	October 4, 1947	Manuel Roxas

Secretary of Education (1947–1972)

President Manuel Roxas issued Executive Order No. 94 on October 4, 1947, reorganizing the Department of Instruction and Information as the Department of Education as of July 1, 1947. ^[26]

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	President
(23)		Manuel Gallego	October 4, 1947	September 20, 1948	Manuel Roxas
					Elpidio Quirino
24		Prudencio Langcauon [27]	September 21, 1948	September 13, 1950
25		Pablo Lorenzo	September 14, 1950	April 3, 1951
26		Teodoro Evangelista	May 18, 1951	September 30, 1951
27		Cecilio Putong (1891−1980)	April 18, 1952	January 13, 1954
					Ramon Magsaysay
28		Pastor Endencia	January 13, 1954	June 30, 1954
29		Gregorio Hernandez Jr.	July 1, 1954	March 17, 1957
30		Martin Aguilar Jr.	March 18, 1957	September 2, 1957	Carlos P. Garcia
31		Manuel Lim	September 3, 1957	November 17, 1957
32		Daniel Salcedo	November 18, 1957	May 31, 1959
33		José E. Romero (1897−1978)	June 1, 1959	September 4, 1962
					Diosdado Macapagal
34		Jose Tuason	September 5, 1962	December 30, 1962
35		Alejandro Roces (1924−2011)	December 30, 1962	September 7, 1965
(18)		Carlos P. Romulo (1899−1985)	December 30, 1965	December 16, 1967	Ferdinand Marcos
36		Onofre Corpuz (1926−2013)	December 17, 1967	April 20, 1971
37		Juan Manuel	April 21, 1971	September 23, 1972

Secretary of Education and Culture (1972–1978)

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	President
(37)		Juan Manuel	September 23, 1972	June 2, 1978	Ferdinand Marcos

Minister of Education and Culture (1978–1982)

President Ferdinand Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 1397 on June 2, 1978, converting all departments into ministries headed by ministers. ^[28]

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	President
(37)		Juan Manuel	June 2, 1978	June 1979	Ferdinand Marcos
(36)		Onofre Corpuz (1926−2013)	July 1979	September 10, 1982

Minister of Education, Culture and Sports (1982–1987)

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	President
(36)		Onofre Corpuz (1926−2013)	September 11, 1982	January 18, 1984	Ferdinand Marcos
38		Jaime C. Laya (born 1939)	January 18, 1984	February 25, 1986
39		Lourdes Quisumbing (1921−2017)	February 25, 1986	February 11, 1987	Corazon Aquino

Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports (1987–2001)

President Corazon Aquino issued Administrative Order No. 15 on February 11, 1987, converting all ministries into departments headed by secretaries. ^[29]

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	President
(39)		Lourdes Quisumbing (1921−2017)	February 11, 1987	December 1989	Corazon Aquino
40		Isidro Cariño	January 3, 1990	June 30, 1992
41		Armand Fabella (1930−2008)	July 1, 1992	July 6, 1994	Fidel V. Ramos
42		Ricardo Gloria	July 7, 1994	December 1997
43		Erlinda Pefianco	February 2, 1998	June 30, 1998
44		Andrew Gonzalez (1940−2006)	July 1, 1998	January 22, 2001	Joseph Estrada
					Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
45		Raul Roco (1941–2005)	January 22, 2001	August 10, 2001

Secretary of Education (from 2001)

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	President
(45)		Raul Roco (1941–2005)	August 11, 2001	August 2002	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
46		Edilberto de Jesus	September 2002	August 2004
47		Florencio Abad (born 1954)	September 23, 2004	July 8, 2005
–		Ramon Bacani Officer in Charge	July 8, 2005	August 30, 2005
–		Fe Hidalgo Officer in Charge	August 31, 2005	October 3, 2006
48		Jesli Lapus (born 1949)	October 4, 2006	March 15, 2010
49		Mona Valisno	March 15, 2010	June 30, 2010
50		Armin Luistro (born 1961) [30]	June 30, 2010	June 30, 2016	Benigno Aquino III
51		Leonor Briones (born 1940) [31]	June 30, 2016	June 30, 2022	Rodrigo Duterte
52		Sara Duterte [a] (born 1978) [32] [33] [34]	June 30, 2022	July 19, 2024	Bongbong Marcos
53		Sonny Angara (born 1972) [35] [36] [34]	July 19, 2024	Incumbent

Notes

1. In concurrent capacity as the Vice President.
2. In concurrent capacity as the President.

References

1. Cabato, Luisa (July 20, 2024). "Marcos administers oath to 'good friend' Angara as DepEd chief". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved July 22, 2024.
2. Magsambol, Bonz (July 2, 2024). "Sonny Angara named as new education secretary". RAPPLER. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
3. "Office of the Secretary Functions | Department of Education" . Retrieved July 2, 2024.
4. Public Laws and Resolutions Passed by the United States Philippine Commission. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1901. p. 737.
5. Fourth Annual Report of the Philippine Commission, 1903, Part 3. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1904. p. 682.
6. Eighth Annual Report of the Philippine Commission, 1907, Part 1. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1908. p. 36.
7. Journal of the Philippine Commission Being the Second Session of the First Philippine Legislature. Manila: Bureau of Printing. 1910. pp. 137–138.
8. Journal of the Philippine Commission Being the Second Session, October 16, 1913, to February 3, 1914, and A Special Session, February 6, 1914, to February 28, 1914, of the Third Philippine Legislature. Manila: Bureau of Printing. 1914. p. 797.
9. "Report of the Chief of the Bureau of Insular Affairs". War Departments Annual Reports, 1917, Vol. 3: 5.
10. Report of the Chief of the Bureau of Insular Affairs, War Department, 1922. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1922. p. 2.
11. Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Herbert Hoover: 1930. Government Printing Office. 1976.
12. Annual Report of the Governor General of the Philippine Islands, 1930. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1932. p. 65.
13. Annual Report of the Governor General of the Philippine Islands 1932. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1934. p. 99.
14. Annual Report of the Chief of the Bureau of Insular Affairs 1934. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1934. p. 6.
15. Third Annual Report of the United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands to the President and Congress of the United States Covering the Calendar Year 1938 and the First Six Months of 1939. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1943. p. 33.
16. "Executive Order No. 396, s. 1941". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines .
17. The Sixth Annual Report of the United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands to the President and Congress of the United States Covering the Fiscal Year July 1, 1941 to June 30, 1942. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1943. p. 79.
18. Official Gazette Vol. 1, No. 1. Manila: Bureau of Printing. 1942. p. 15.
19. "The President's Day: October 11, 1943". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines .
20. Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1949. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1950. p. 1757.
21. Official Gazette, Vol. 1, No. 2. Manila: Bureau of Printing. 1943. p. 131.
22. Official Gazette, Vol. 1, No. 3. Manila: Bureau of Printing. 1943. pp. 199–203.
23. Official Gazette Vol. 1, No. 8. Manila: Bureau of Printing. 1944. p. 864.
24. "Executive Order No. 27, s. 1945". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines .
25. Official Gazette, Vol. 41, No. 1. Manila: Bureau of Printing. p. 80.
26. "Executive Order No. 94, s. 1947". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines .
27. Preston, Paul; Partride, Michael; Best, Anthony, eds. (2000). British Documents on Foreign Affairs: Reports and Papers from the Foreign Office Confidential Print. Part IV, From 1946 through 1950, Series E, Asia, 1950. Vol. 6. University Publications of America. p. 265.
28. "Presidential Decree No. 1397, s. 1978". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines .
29. "Administrative Order No. 15, s. 1987". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines .
30. "Benigno S. Aquino III". Presidential Museum and Library. Archived from the original on July 6, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
31. Viray, Patricia Lourdes (June 30, 2016). "Duterte's Cabinet takes oath, holds first meeting". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016.
32. Yang, Angelica (May 26, 2022). "Incoming DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte should prioritize last mile schools — ex-chief". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
33. Chi, Cristina. "Sara Duterte resigns as DepEd secretary". Philstar.com. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
34. Casilao, Joahna Lei (July 2, 2024). "DepEd welcomes Sonny Angara as secretary". GMA News Online. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
35. Cabato, Luisa (July 20, 2024). "Marcos administers oath to 'good friend' Angara as DepEd chief". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved July 22, 2024.
36. Sarao, Zacarian (July 2, 2024). "Angara named as new DepEd chief". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved July 2, 2024.