Education and public service are deeply ingrained in his family heritage. His mother dedicated her career to educating students in public schools, while his father pursued a profession in government as a lawyer specializing in human rights.
Dr. J. Prospero "Popoy" de Vera III, chairman of the Commission on Higher Education or CHEd, recalled that his mother, a teacher at the Esteban Abada High School in Manila, always brought him to school when he was still a young boy. His mother became the principal of Ramon Magsaysay High School, also in Manila, before her retirement.
He said he and his siblings grew up breathing the osmosis of public service.
"So, when I was growing up, the importance of education was drilled into us. Our mother always tells us to finish our education; nothing will happen in our lives if we don't graduate from college," De Vera said, adding that he and his siblings all graduated from public schools.
"We are nine siblings, but my parents don't have the money to send us to private schools. All of us graduated from the University of the Philippines. We are products of public schools; we were just the 'iskolar ng bayan' through and through."
Popoy, who finished a bachelor's degree in History from UP, teaches political science and history at the De La Salle University and the University of the Philippines.
He completed his master's in social science at De La Salle University and doctoral studies in public administration at the University of the Philippines Diliman. He also has a master's degree in higher education policy and higher education administration from the University of Southern California, one of the top schools in the United States of America, and later worked at the state legislature in California for three years.
"In that sense, after I graduated from college, one of the options that I saw is either I take up law or teach, or to work in government, etc. There was an opportunity to teach, so I got into education."
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, De Vera also served as a consultant to several government agencies and provided his expertise to congressmen and senators.
"Simultaneously, while I was teaching, I was also a consultant to the government. I worked as a consultant and then as chief of staff at the House and Senate."
His extensive academic background and government experience were benchmarks for his appointment as CHEd Commissioner in 2016, highlighting his qualifications for the position.
"Since my background is in public administration and I also teach, I have a certain level of confidence that I really understand government, and I want to prove that I can do what I teach. I have a lot of involvement in the House and the Senate, from being an executive assistant until becoming chief of staff. I went through them one by one."
De Vera's proficiency in legislative affairs from 1988 to 2010 (except for his three years abroad) encompasses a plethora of skills, including bill drafting, speech writing, and crafting amendments. Such expertise is a direct result of his extensive involvement and experience in the realm of legislation.
Before his appointment to CHEd, he served as vice president for Public Affairs at UP in 2011. In 2004, he became part of the board of regents in some state universities and colleges.
When he took the offer to head CHEd in 2018 after serving as commissioner for two years, he was confident because he survived UP.
"I have a high level of confidence that I can do the job because they say that if you survived to govern UP, you can govern everything else because UP is the most ungovernable university in the country. So, if you survived there, you understand the public university system," he admitted.
He narrated to have experienced a sense of ease and familiarity when he joined CHEd.
"It felt natural, perhaps because it aligns with my expertise. I might have had some reservations if it were a different department outside my field. However, since there was an opening at CHEd, I decided to offer my assistance, and that's how I found myself here," he shared.
In running an agency with only 1,400 employees and serving more than 2,000 public and private higher education institutions across the country lies the challenge, De Vera said.
With the scope of responsibilities, he gets to visit all state universities and colleges.
Riding a bicycle, he witnessed
first-hand the brilliance, resilience, and great potential of state universities and colleges.
"I would be the first CHEd chair who visited all the state universities and colleges in this country. No one has done that yet," he said, adding that he had already visited 100 of the 114 state-run universities.
"I think in a year, I will finish all of them. The feeling is so different when you see what's happening on the ground. So, from the start of my appointment, I started going around. I've gone to the farthest parts of the country."
As the chairperson, he said his firsthand experience in higher education enables him to speak with confidence and authority on the subject.
"By engaging directly with students and faculty, attentively listening to their concerns, and providing meaningful responses, I believe I have made a significant impact. The presence of a secretary in these interactions creates a distinct atmosphere, instilling a sense of importance and value in education stakeholders. This ability to make those on the ground feel significant is a legacy I take pride in," he said.
One of the legacies De Vera is proud of is the implementation of free higher education, which coincided with his tenure.
"I consider myself privileged because my predecessors did not have the opportunity to enact such a policy. Despite the challenges encountered, I believe that the beneficiaries truly reaped the benefits of this initiative," he said.
In the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, the country was confronted with unprecedented difficulties and uncertainties. CHEd, however, managed to navigate these challenges and ensured that education persisted.
"This, in itself, is an accomplishment. Despite various government interventions being affected, we remained steadfast in delivering education to the best of our abilities," he said.
De Vera actively advocates for an inclusive education system that provides equal opportunities for marginalized sectors to complete their tertiary education.
He seeks to create "first-generation graduates" as a legacy of the current administration. This program aims to offer educational opportunities to young Filipinos from minority and indigenous groups, children of rebel returnees, and other marginalized communities, enabling them to complete their education successfully.
"Why not consciously make our legacy about bringing these individuals into the mainstream and ensuring they have the opportunity to finish their education? This emerging phenomenon is something we can truly focus on."
He added: "If we can successfully accomplish this within the next three years while I am in office, I can confidently say that it will be a legacy achieved by the Marcos administration. While the Duterte administration initiated free higher education, the Marcos administration aims to make it more equitable and responsive to the needs of marginalized individuals."