FOR DepEd Sec. Jesli Lapus, it’s hard to stereotype but people can just about describe him in three sentences: He is a perfectionist, he does only significant things and he doesn’t postpone.
Disciplined by no-nonsense parents and mentors in his youth, Lapus recalls the traits and character he learned in his boyhood that helped shape his present-day leadership ability and outlook.
During his visit in Pagadian last weekend, he shared that he made a difference in his life by learning history through stamp collecting.
Starting while he was 10-years old, he says philately introduced to him lessons not normally taught in schools. “It opened my eyes to the broader world of diverse cultures,” he said.
He shares again his penchant for wide-ranging learning while in college by enrolling only the subjects he like. But then he adds he graduated had a balanced life.
The secretary explains his secret to rising in public service after serving as finance expert, manager and auditor in reputable private companies lay in hard work.
In 1987, he was appointed DAR undersecretary and in 1992 was Land Bank of the Philippines chief. Six years later, he entered politics and completed three terms as congressman of the third district of Tarlac.
In August 2006, he was appointed DepEd secretary by President Gloria Arroyo. He said he took the opportunity “to show everyone why he was the president’s choice.”
Though his administration faced several controversies, like the furor over erroneous textbooks and the Cyber Education Project, he said he was able to come out of it “through dialogue, concrete solutions and swift action.”
As he would always repeat: “To manage the biggest department in the executive branch requires no less than a top-notch professional manager.”
At present, he added that he is decentralizing DepEd, making it a school-based management and focusing on its human resources as frontlines.
“Principals must think like managers, as administrators. Teacher education must also be improved,” he said.
If everyone doesn’t know it, Lapus, though his leadership, manages more employees than any other person in the country and handles the largest budget than any government agency.
“The highest form of investment is education,” he told a crowd of 500 teachers during the regional executive conference held at the AEC, here, July 17.
That evening, in a dinner tendered by Rep. Antonio Cerilles with provincial and DepEd officials, Lapus said he was flattered being tagged as a likely contender for a senate seat in the upcoming 2010 elections.
He added that he was happy hearing the comments from teachers who told him that his presence boosted their morale. “The success and backbone of DepEd lies in them,” he remarked.
On talks about his Senate bid, Lapus adviced media in a huddle at Hotel Alindahaw to see the events as they are. “Let it be, let it be,” he said.
Lapus is a partymate of Cerilles in the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC). When he decides to run in next year’s polls, he said he will run under the administration coalition ticket.
“After success, you want to become significant and then you think of leaving a legacy. I have achieved quite a bit,” he further said.
He then intimated that his desire to run for the Senate was also upon the clamor of the teachers, although he admitted he will be facing tough contenders.
Surely, as some observers point out, Lapus will be squaring off against nine re-electionist senators and three come-backing senators who have indicated their plans to run again.
“People are entitled to their opinion. We will make our decision known by November,” he replied.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA
Disciplined by no-nonsense parents and mentors in his youth, Lapus recalls the traits and character he learned in his boyhood that helped shape his present-day leadership ability and outlook.
During his visit in Pagadian last weekend, he shared that he made a difference in his life by learning history through stamp collecting.
Starting while he was 10-years old, he says philately introduced to him lessons not normally taught in schools. “It opened my eyes to the broader world of diverse cultures,” he said.
He shares again his penchant for wide-ranging learning while in college by enrolling only the subjects he like. But then he adds he graduated had a balanced life.
The secretary explains his secret to rising in public service after serving as finance expert, manager and auditor in reputable private companies lay in hard work.
In 1987, he was appointed DAR undersecretary and in 1992 was Land Bank of the Philippines chief. Six years later, he entered politics and completed three terms as congressman of the third district of Tarlac.
In August 2006, he was appointed DepEd secretary by President Gloria Arroyo. He said he took the opportunity “to show everyone why he was the president’s choice.”
Though his administration faced several controversies, like the furor over erroneous textbooks and the Cyber Education Project, he said he was able to come out of it “through dialogue, concrete solutions and swift action.”
As he would always repeat: “To manage the biggest department in the executive branch requires no less than a top-notch professional manager.”
At present, he added that he is decentralizing DepEd, making it a school-based management and focusing on its human resources as frontlines.
“Principals must think like managers, as administrators. Teacher education must also be improved,” he said.
If everyone doesn’t know it, Lapus, though his leadership, manages more employees than any other person in the country and handles the largest budget than any government agency.
“The highest form of investment is education,” he told a crowd of 500 teachers during the regional executive conference held at the AEC, here, July 17.
That evening, in a dinner tendered by Rep. Antonio Cerilles with provincial and DepEd officials, Lapus said he was flattered being tagged as a likely contender for a senate seat in the upcoming 2010 elections.
He added that he was happy hearing the comments from teachers who told him that his presence boosted their morale. “The success and backbone of DepEd lies in them,” he remarked.
On talks about his Senate bid, Lapus adviced media in a huddle at Hotel Alindahaw to see the events as they are. “Let it be, let it be,” he said.
Lapus is a partymate of Cerilles in the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC). When he decides to run in next year’s polls, he said he will run under the administration coalition ticket.
“After success, you want to become significant and then you think of leaving a legacy. I have achieved quite a bit,” he further said.
He then intimated that his desire to run for the Senate was also upon the clamor of the teachers, although he admitted he will be facing tough contenders.
Surely, as some observers point out, Lapus will be squaring off against nine re-electionist senators and three come-backing senators who have indicated their plans to run again.
“People are entitled to their opinion. We will make our decision known by November,” he replied.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA