President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said that the appointment of the next Education secretary will be guided by what the department needs.

“We need to assess what the DepEd requires at this stage. Do we need an educator, an administrator, or an accountant?” Marcos asked, underscoring the ongoing deliberations to identify the most suitable candidate for the role.

Marcos said he will soon name the successor of Vice President Sara Duterte who resigned from her Cabinet post last 19 June.

In an interview with Palace reporters at The Manila Hotel, Marcos said there is an urgency to fill the position and ensure seamless operations within the department.

“We cannot just leave it like that without a secretary. That’s why I’m hurrying everything. We need to determine the next steps promptly,” Marcos said.

The President said Duterte didn’t give a reason for resigning as DepEd secretary and co-vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. This is seen as the final political showdown between the Marcos and Duterte families ahead of the 2025 midterm elections.

During her news conference on the day of her resignation, Duterte did not disclose the reason behind her decision to leave the Marcos Cabinet. Instead, she emphasized that her departure was driven by “concern” for teachers and students, asserting that it was not due to “weakness.”

“I asked her if there were any particular reasons why she has chosen to resign from the Department of Education and the NTF-ELCAC, and she said, 'Let’s not discuss it.' So I did not force the issue,” Marcos said.

“Well, you know we have to carry on and the Department of Education is quite possibly, arguably the most important department because education is that important. So, no matter the change of leadership within the department, we still have to carry on,” Marcos added.