Secretary of Education (Philippines)

The Secretary of Education () is a 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.

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 the 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 the 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.

List Secretary of Public Development (1898–1899) Portrait Name Took office Left office PresidentFelipe Buencamino(1848−1929)September 26,1898January 21,1899Emilio Aguinaldo

Secretary of Welfare (1899) Portrait Name Took office Left office PresidentGracio GonzagaJanuary 21,1899May 7,1899Emilio AguinaldoAguedo VelardeMay 7,1899November 13,1899

Secretary of Public Instruction (1901–1935) Portrait Name Took office Left office Governor-GeneralBernard Moses(1846−1930)September 1,1901December 31,1902William Howard TaftJames Francis Smith(1859−1928)January 1,1902September 20,1906Luke Edward WrightHenry Clay IdeWilliam Morgan Shuster(1877−1960)September 28,1906March 1,1909James Francis SmithNewton W. Gilbert(1862−1939)March 1,1909December 1,1913William Cameron ForbesNewton W. GilbertFrancis Burton HarrisonHenderson S. MartinDecember 1,1913June 28,1917Charles Yeater(1861−1943)June 29,1917January 25,1922Charles YeaterLeonard WoodEugene Allen Gilmore(1871−1953)January 26,1922June 20,1930Eugene Allen GilmoreHenry L. StimsonEugene Allen GilmoreDwight F. DavisNicholas Roosevelt(1893−1982)InterimJuly 29,1930September 24,1930George C. Butte(1877−1940)December 31,1930June 30,1932George C. ButteTheodore Roosevelt Jr.John H. HollidayAugust 13,1932September 1,1933Frank MurphyJoseph R. Hayden(1887−1945)November 7,1933November 15,1935

Secretary of Public Instruction (1935–1941) Portrait Name Took office Left office PresidentSergio Osmeña(1878−1961)November 15,1935December 1,1938Manuel L. QuezonManuel L. Quezon(1878−1944)December 1,1938April 19,1939Jorge Bocobo(1886−1965)April 19,1939December 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. Portrait Name Took office Left office PresidentSergio Osmeña(1878−1961)December 24,1941August 1,1944Manuel L. Quezon

Commissioner of Education, Health and Welfare (1942–1943) Portrait Name Took office Left office Chairman of the Philippine Executive CommissionClaro M. Recto(1890−1960)January 26,1942October 14,1943Jorge B. Vargas

Secretary of Information and Public Relations (1943–1945) Portrait Name Took office Left office PresidentCarlos P. Romulo(1899−1985)October 11,1944February 27,1945Manuel L. QuezonSergio Osmeña

Minister of Education, Health and Public Welfare (1943–1944) Portrait Name Took office Left office PresidentGabriel MañalacActingOctober 20,1943January 1,1944Jose 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. Portrait Name Took office Left office PresidentCamilo Osías(1889−1976)May 18,1944February 27,1945Jose 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. Portrait Name Took office Left office PresidentCarlos P. Romulo(1899−1985)February 27,1945March 8,1945Sergio OsmeñaMaximo Kalaw(1891−1954)March 8,1945May 4,1945Jose ReyesMay 5,1945January 3,1946Francisco BenitezJanuary 3,1946May 27,1946Manuel GallegoMay 28,1946October 4,1947Manuel 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. Portrait Name Took office Left office PresidentManuel GallegoOctober 4,1947September 20,1948Manuel RoxasElpidio QuirinoPrudencio LangcauonSeptember 21,1948September 13,1950Pablo LorenzoSeptember 14,1950April 3,1951Teodoro EvangelistaMay 18,1951September 30,1951Cecilio Putong(1891−1980)April 18,1952January 13,1954Ramon MagsaysayPastor EndenciaJanuary 13,1954June 30,1954Gregorio Hernandez Jr.July 1,1954March 17,1957Martin Aguilar Jr.March 18,1957September 2,1957Carlos P. GarciaManuel LimSeptember 3,1957November 17,1957Daniel SalcedoNovember 18,1957May 31,1959José E. Romero(1897−1978)June 1,1959September 4,1962Diosdado MacapagalJose TuasonSeptember 5,1962December 30,1962Alejandro Roces(1924−2011)December 30,1962September 7,1965Carlos P. Romulo(1899−1985)December 30,1965December 16,1967Ferdinand MarcosOnofre Corpuz(1926−2013)December 17,1967April 20,1971Juan ManuelApril 21,1971September 23,1972

Secretary of Education and Culture (1972–1978) Portrait Name Took office Left office PresidentJuan ManuelSeptember 23,1972June 2,1978Ferdinand 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. Portrait Name Took office Left office PresidentJuan ManuelJune 2,1978June1979Ferdinand MarcosOnofre Corpuz(1926−2013)July1979September 10,1982

Minister of Education, Culture and Sports (1982–1987) Portrait Name Took office Left office PresidentOnofre Corpuz(1926−2013)September 11,1982January 18,1984Ferdinand MarcosJaime C. Laya(born 1939)January 18,1984February 25,1986Lourdes Quisumbing(1921−2017)February 25,1986February 11,1987Corazon 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. Portrait Name Took office Left office PresidentLourdes Quisumbing(1921−2017)February 11,1987December1989Corazon AquinoIsidro CariñoJanuary 3,1990June 30,1992Armand Fabella(1930−2008)July 1,1992July 6,1994Fidel V. RamosRicardo GloriaJuly 7,1994December1997Erlinda PefiancoFebruary 2,1998June 30,1998Andrew Gonzalez(1940−2006)July 1,1998January 22,2001Joseph EstradaGloria Macapagal ArroyoRaul Roco(1941–2005)January 22,2001August 10,2001

Secretary of Education (from 2001) Portrait Name Took office Left office PresidentRaul Roco(1941–2005)August 11,2001August 31,2002Gloria Macapagal ArroyoEdilberto de JesusSeptember 16,2002August2004Florencio Abad(born 1954)September 23,2004July 8,2005Ramon BacaniOfficer in ChargeJuly 8,2005August 30,2005Fe HidalgoOfficer in ChargeAugust 31,2005October 3,2006Jesli Lapus(born 1949)October 4,2006March 15,2010Mona ValisnoMarch 15,2010June 30,2010Armin Luistro(born 1961)June 30,2010June 30,2016Benigno Aquino IIILeonor Briones(born 1940)June 30,2016June 30,2022Rodrigo DuterteSara Duterte(born 1978)June 30,2022July 19,2024Bongbong MarcosSonny Angara(born 1972)July 19,2024Incumbent

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