DLSU president accepts DepEd post under Aquino admin
Bro. Armin Luistro, the president of De La Salle University (DLSU) in Manila, has accepted President-elect Benigno âNoynoy" Aquino IIIâs offer to become the Education secretary under his administration. âAfter due consultation with various stakeholders in the Lasallian community, Bro. Armin Luistro has accepted the invitation of President-elect Aquino to be the Department of Education (DepEd) secretary," the DLSU statement released Wednesday night read. In accepting Aquinoâs offer, Luistro â a member of the De La Salle Brothers in the Philippines â became the sixth member of Aquinoâs official family. Others who have accepted posts in the Aquino administration were lawyer Paquito "Jojo" Ochoa Jr. (executive secretary), lawyer Edwin Lacierda (presidential spokesperson), Corazon "Dinky" Soliman (Social Welfare and Development chief), and Teresita "Ding" Deles (presidential peace adviser). Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chairperson Leila de Lima has already admitted that she would be part of Aquinoâs Cabinet but refused to say what position. Reports said she would be the next Justice secretary. Ties with Aquinoâs family Luistro, along with other De La Salle Brothers, has close ties with the Aquino family especially to Aquinoâs mother, the late President Corazon âCory" Aquino. He even delivered a homily entitled âCory, the Heart of a Saint" during her wake in the La Salle Greenhills Gymnasium in Mandaluyong City last August. In accepting the DepEd post, Luistro will be replaced as DLSU president through a selection process to be done by the universityâs board of trustees, according to the statement. âWhile Bro. Armin recognizes the challenges that this transition will pose, he is confident that the tradition of excellence and resilience so deeply embedded in the community will give rise to a stronger University, ever more committed to both Church and nation," the statement said. Luistro studied from elementary to high school in De La Salle in Lipa City in Batangas, before taking up an undergraduate degree in philosophy and letters in DLSU Manila. The incoming DepEd secretary got his masterâs degree in religious education in the same university. - KBK, GMANews.TV