A total of 1,559 newly promoted teachers and school heads in the Caraga region took their oath on Sunday under the government's Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System, highlighting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s standing directive to ensure that no public school teacher will ever have to retire at the entry-level rank of Teacher I.

“Most people only see the promotion. Pero ang hindi nakikita ay ang maaga niyong pag-gising; ang pag-uwi nang gabi; at ang pagsasantabi ng sariling problema para sa mga estudyante,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.

“This promotion is not a simple administrative action—this is about dignity. This is about finally giving our deserving teachers a clearer path forward,” the DepEd chief added.

Angara also led a special recognition for 23 of the region’s longest-serving educators with up to 39 years in service.

The promotees also include 91 educators who are now finally gaining their well-deserved promotions as they near retirement age after remaining stuck at the Teacher 1 position.

For SPED teacher Ana Maria Ampon of Tabon M. Estrella National High School in Bislig City, her promotion from Teacher III to Teacher VI stands as a deeply personal triumph that honors her 26 years of teaching service and the memory of her late husband.

"Working with children who see the world differently taught me more about patience and hope than I ever could have taught them. This recognition isn’t about a title; it is a testament to the hard work of a mother, the memory of my husband, and the simple joy of being a teacher,” Ampon said.

Similarly, Cheriel Dadios of St. Christine National High School in Surigao del Sur achieved a personal breakthrough with her promotion from Teacher II to Teacher V.

Having served for five years as a volunteer teacher before her permanent appointment, her advancement proved that stringent academic degree requirements would no longer be an obstacle for dedicated, long-serving teachers.

“The ECP program opened doors for educators like me who had been held back by academic requirements alone. From volunteer teacher to now, proudly Teacher V, my journey stands as proof that true growth comes from staying faithful to one’s calling," Dadios shared.

Established under Executive Order No. 174, s. 2022, the ECP system serves as a progressive policy framework that allows public school teachers to advance in stature and compensation through classroom teaching or school administration tracks without needing to wait for plantilla vacancies.