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| The Honorable RAUL
S. ROCO |
| Secretary |
| Department of
Education, Culture and Sports |
Newly-appointed Secretary of Education Raul Sagarbarria Roco is one of
the pride of the many precious jewels of the Bicol Region.
A son of a farmer and a public school teacher, Sec. Roco finished his
elementary schooling at age 10 from the Naga Parochial School and high school at age 14
from the Ateneo de Naga. He went on to study at San Beda College in Manila where he
graduated AB English, magna cum laude at the young age of 18. He eventually earned his law
degree from the same college as Abbots Awardee for Over-All Excellence. He later took his
Master of Comparative Law as a University Fellow at the University of Pennsylvannia.
Sec. Roco was the youngest president of the National Union of Students
of the Philippines. More importantly, he was also named one of the Ten Outstanding
Students of the Philippines. In addition, he was also the youngest Bicolano delegate to
the Constitutional Convention as well as the youngest president of the Integrated Bar of
the Philippines. As legal staff to Sen. Benigno Aquino, he drafted the famous Study Now,
Pay Later law.
Raul is not only an orator, debater and parliamentarian but a poet and
lyricist as well. He wrote the lyrics of the San Beda College hymn and was once,
editor-in-chief of The Bedan. He was the executive producer of Lino Brocka's award-winning
Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang. Inspired by his strong beliefs in hard work, study and prayer,
he wrote the song Kaunting Dasal.
Representing the 2nd District of Camarines Sur, he was adjudged by the
Ford Foundation and the UP Institute of Strategic and Development Studies as First in
Over-all Performance among legislators of the 8th Congress for the period 1987-1992.
As Senator from 1992-2001, Sec. Roco funded the budget increment
mandated by the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers for retiring public school
teachers. He also funded the teachers' cooperatives and pioneered the computerization
program for schools and provided meal scholarships for poor students of the Philippine
Normal University. He also abolished the National Collegiate Entrance Examinations (NCEE)
to give all students the opportunity to enter college. He also helped private schools
through the automatic release of GASTPE funds, a law which widens access to schooling.
Lovingly dubbed the "Honorary Woman", Raul authored major
laws addressing women concerns, among them RA 7653, the Women in Nation-Building Law; RA
7877, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law; RA 8353, the Anti-Rape Law; and RA 8369, the Child
and Family Courts Law.
Finally, Raul is considered the Father of the Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas as the author of the New Central Bank Law. He is also the author of the
Intellectual Property Code (RA 8293) and the Securities Regulation Code (RA 8792). |
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