The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines has denounced Vice President Sara Duterte’s recent remarks on alleged budget manipulation in the education sector, branding them as opportunistic and hypocritical attempts to deflect accountability.
In a statement, ACT accused Duterte of trying to distance herself from the corruption scandals hounding the Marcos Jr. administration while ignoring her own record as former Education Secretary.
“VP Duterte’s claims of having opposed corruption and budget manipulation while serving as Secretary of Education are blatant lies. Billions in the DepEd budget were mismanaged and left classrooms and schools across the country in a state of disrepair. Sara Duterte has earned her title as the queen of corruption,” said ACT Chairperson Ruby Bernardo.
ACT pointed out that Duterte oversaw a ₱676.1 billion budget in 2023, yet billions were lost to anomalous spending. The group cited ₱12.29 billion in suspensions, disallowances, and charges that remain unsettled; ₱6.95 billion in unliquidated cash advances; and ₱15.49 billion worth of delayed or unimplemented programs, projects, and plantilla positions.
Bernardo stressed that Duterte’s latest pronouncement was not an act of “principled dissent” but a calculated political maneuver.
“Actually this is nothing but opportunism. Simple as that. And we cannot allow self-serving narratives to obscure the real issues of systemic corruption, lack of transparency, and the continued neglect of public education,” she said.
The teachers’ group also linked Duterte’s political lineage to entrenched corruption, noting that she comes from a dynasty “deeply mired in corruption under her father’s regime.”
ACT underscored that the public’s growing outrage over congressional scandals reflects a widening gap between the ruling elites and ordinary citizens.
The group reiterated its demand for accountability from both President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Duterte, whom it accused of perpetuating systemic corruption and political patronage.
ACT called on government agencies, civil society, and the public to demand transparency and ensure that education funds are directed toward genuine needs.
The group vowed to amplify the people’s movement for justice, declaring that the future of public education depends on dismantling corruption and ending bureaucrat capitalism. (ZIA LUNA)
