Sec. Angara, Rep. Sandro Marcos lead teachers’ oath in Laoag as DepEd eyes 100k career upgrades by 2026

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 







LAOAG CITY, ILOCOS NORTE, 23 January 2026 — As part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s education agenda, Education Secretary Sonny Angara and House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos on Friday led the mass oath-taking of 789 public school teachers in the province whose careers were upgraded under the Department of Education’s Expanded Career Progression (ECP) system, as the agency eyes to deliver up to 100,000 teacher career upgrades nationwide by 2026.

The mass oath-taking was conducted alongside the administration’s Programa para sa Buti ng Bayan at Mamamayan: Galing, Akses, Batid at Angat Tungo sa Yaman ng Bayan” or the PBBM-GABAY ng Bayan—an integrated set of initiatives jointly implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

“Let us build a Bagong Pilipinas where education is a sturdy foundation for stronger families, a more capable workforce, and a more progressive nation,” the President’s message said.

Of the newly promoted teachers, many had waited years—some decades—for advancement due to limited plantilla items and a promotion system dependent on natural vacancies. More than 2,000 additional teachers in Ilocos are also currently undergoing processing for promotion under the ECP, with their reclassification documents already submitted.


Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the reform champions teachers’ welfare and professional growth, aligned with the principles of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers while strengthening instructional quality by keeping experienced educators where they matter most—inside classrooms.

“Hindi na kailangang umalis sa silid-aralan para umangat. Sa ilalim ng ECP, kinikilala natin ang husay sa pagtuturo at binibigyan ito ng malinaw na landas,” Angara said.

Angara said the reform is meant to recognize teachers who have spent years refining their craft in the classroom, citing educators like Teacher Lilliane Z. Tarriga of Filipino East Elementary School, who was promoted to Teacher IV after serving as Teacher I for 37 years.

“Para sa atin ito. Para sa lahat ng guro na nagbuhos ng oras at sakripisyo sa serbisyo. Yung statement na walang teacher ang magre-retire na Teacher I, sabi ni PBBM, yun talaga ang nag-motivate sa akin. Salamat talaga kay President Bongbong at kay DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara,” Teacher Lilliane said.



As the administration moves to synchronize reforms across basic, higher, and technical education, the ceremony stood as both a culmination and a signal that education reform is now being executed across institutions, ranks, and regions.

Muling sasabak ang PNP sa UAE SWAT Challenge 2026, dala ang dangal at lakas ng Pilipino

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates– 23 Enero 2026: Muling lalahok ang Philippine National Police (PNP) sa UAE SWAT Challenge 2026, isa sa mga pinakatanyag na pandaigdigang kompetisyon para sa mga Pangkat Taktikal ng Pulisya na ginaganap sa Dubai.



Makikipagtagisan ang koponan ng PNP laban sa mga piling tactical unit mula sa iba’t ibang bansa sa limang matitinding hamon na susubok sa lakas, katatagan, husay sa taktika, pagkakaisa at kakayahang rumesponde sa gitna ng matinding tensyon.



Gaganapin ang kompetisyon mula ika-7 hanggang ika-11 Pebrero sa Training City sa Al Ruwayyah, Dubai.



Paanyaya sa Filipino community sa Dubai



Inaanyayahan ang ating mga kababayan sa Dubai na manood ng personal at suportahan ang koponan ng PNP. Libre ang tiket at maaaring makuha sa Virgin Megastore. Sama-sama nating ipakita ang suporta at pagmamalaki upang maramdaman ng ating delegasyon ang lakas at pagkakaisa ng Filipino community.



Para sa mga Pilipino sa Pilipinas at sa iba pang bansa

Para sa mga hindi makakadalo nang personal, maaari pa ring makiisa sa pamamagitan ng panonood ng live coverage sa opisyal na Youtube channel ng UAE SWAT Challenge. Hinihikayat ang lahat na manood, mag share, at mag cheer online para sa ating mga kapulisan.

Bringing access to inclusive development through Islamic Financing

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Cagayan de Oro – The Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF) and Escaping the Middle-Income Trap: Chains-for-Change (EMIT C4C) Program of the University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS) presented the landscape, opportunities, and challenges of developing Islamic Financing in the Bangsamoro region on December 9, 2025, in this city.

Attended by representatives from the Bangsamoro parliament, civil society, advocates, microfinance institutions, and academia, the presentation highlighted the development of Islamic finance in the region, current efforts to advance its implementation, and best practices from organizations that have implemented the program.

“The Islamic practices of Sharia Financing, Halal, and other essential mechanisms are not just viable options, but pathways to dignity, inclusion, and opportunities in the region, PEF Executive Director Roberto Calingo remarked.

Crafting the Islamic Finance Landscape

Islamic finance, or Shari’ah-compliant financing, refers to instruments and services that comply with Islamic law. According to the action research, its development and promotion will advance financial inclusion and deliver solutions for Muslims residing in the Bangsamoro region.

“This mechanism is an appropriate and relevant tool for promoting financing because it addresses the pressing need to mobilize capital ethically, fairly, and inclusively,” EMIT-C4C Co-Convenor Annette Balaoing-Pelkmans said in her presentation of the study results.

In April 2024, PEF and EMIT C4C partnered with the UP Strategic Research and Management Foundation to launch a collaborative action research project. The teams conducted extensive interviews and gathered data across Cotabato City, Sarangani, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Zamboanga City. Their findings were later compiled into a comprehensive monograph published in 2025.

After presenting the study results, Bangsamoro Parliament’s Policy Research and Legal Service Director Nassef Manabilang Adiong shared the government's efforts to develop a framework for implementing Islamic Finance.

CARD-MRI Program Manager Daissiel Gonzales also presented their Paglambo project, their Shari’a-inspired microfinancing program. At the same time, Islamic Social Finance expert Rini Supri Hartanti from Indonesia shared the model used by Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Dompet Dhuafa, along with other best practices in Islamic finance implementation from Indonesia, highlighting approaches to advancing inclusion and diversity in financing.

Making an Islamic Finance ecosystem a reality

According to Calingo, PEF will pursue additional efforts beyond action research to develop and scale up community-based models, while partnering with other institutions to expand the implementation of Islamic Finance in the region.

“This is not a one-time engagement for PEF but part of their long-term vision to empower families and strengthen local economies,” he said.