Five officials of the Department of Education, all appointed during the tenure of outgoing secretary Vice President Sara Duterte, have tendered their resignations, DepEd Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Michael T. Poa confirmed on Tuesday in a Viber message to education reporters.

Poa said those who resigned effective 19 July were two undersecretaries and three assistant secretaries, including himself.

They were Undersecretary for Administration Nolasco A. Mempin, Assistant Secretary Sunshine A. Fajarda, Assistant Secretary for Procurement Reynold S. Munsayac, Assistant Secretary for Administration Noel T. Baluyan and Poa.

“I think it is only appropriate to give the incoming secretary, Secretary Angara, a free hand to choose the people that will form his team,” Poa said.

Asked his future plans with Vice President Duterte, Poa said, “I will just wait for instructions from the vice president, if any.”

Duterte resigned as education secretary on 19 June. She will be succeeded by Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara who was named to the post by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Meanwhile, the following officials will remain at the DepEd: Undersecretary for Curriculum and Teaching Gina O. Gonong, Undersecretary for Finance Annalyn M. Sevilla, Undersecretary for Human Resource and Organizational Development Wilfredo Cabral, Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs Omer Alexander V. Romero, Undersecretary for Operations Revsee A. Escobedo;

Undersecretary for Procurement Gerard L. Chan, Undersecretary for School Infrastructure and Facilities Epimaco V. Densing III, Assistant Secretary for Curriculum and Teaching Alma Ruby C. Torio, Assistant Secretary for Curriculum and Teaching Janir Ty Datukan, Assistant Secretary for Operations Francis Cesar B. Bringas, and Assistant Secretary for Operations Dexter B. Galban.

In a statement, Angara’s office said it respects the decision of the undersecretaries and assistant decretaries of the DepEd who tendered their courtesy resignations ahead of Angara’s assumption as DepEd Secretary.

“We eagerly anticipate taking on our new role this Friday. Any appropriate appointments will be announced soon as we intend to hit the ground running and drive immediate progress,” Angara said.