DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 29 June)—Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman has vowed to give Mindanao a stronger representation under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman. File photo from the DBM website
Pangandaman, a Meranaw who was the commencement speaker during the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP)’s 45th commencement exercises for its graduate programs on Friday, said that she would ensure that Mindanao gets a voice at the national level.
“As a proud Meranaw, I vow to continue to provide Mindanao with stronger representation at the national level. Since day one, I have kept ablaze the flames of commitment to serve and give my beloved Mindanao a voice,” she said.
Pangandaman said that she would take the lead in pushing for “policies and reforms” to spur development in the island.
“In my capacity, I will continue to advocate for policies and reforms that foster local empowerment and development in this region and ultimately, in the entire nation,” she said.
She added that the national government gives priority to education, saying that providing the Filipino people a wider access to quality education is the key to a progressive nation.
“We will strive to continue fulfilling President Ferdinand R.
Marcos Jr.’s promise for every Filipino student to receive quality education under his administration, and as a testament to this commitment, we will remain steadfast in ushering in a new era of quality education in the country,” Pangandaman said.
She said the education, culture and manpower development sector gets a budget of P983.5 billion, the biggest chunk of the budget pie this year.
Of this total, a total of P132 billion has been allocated for state universities and colleges nationwide to ensure that students “will have increased access to free education through college.
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Pangandaman urged the graduates to take part in advocating for development and in helping transform lives of the people in various communities.
“We tend to forget that more than these professional advantages, there are a great deal of additional benefits that you can do beyond personal gains,” the budget secretary said.
She reminded the students that finishing graduate school is not just about sprucing up “resumes and CVs [curricula vitae].”
“Your achievements stood out as a shining example of how universities like USEP can lift top caliber students to even greater heights. I am greatly inspired by your commitment to service and promoting inclusive growth and sustainable development, which we, in the economic sector, have been aggressively working through transformative governance,” Pangandaman said.
She said she was impressed by the “community that you all have created here at USEP—a supportive, competitive, and inclusive community that not only embodies but also exemplifies the values that define this university.” (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
