Warm greetings to all school administrators and teachers.

Together with the

international community, we celebrate the World Teachers Day to give gratitude
to our leaders and teachers and recognize their important role in developing our
youth. This year, our theme is Mga Lider at Guro na May Puso, Tatak Deped
Rizal Yan. Indeed, being a teacher is not just a profession, it is also a vocation
and a form of public service. Here in Rizal, our teachers give their hearts and
minds in order to share their knowledge to the youth. We owe them what we
learn not just in academics but also our moral values. They awaken our talents
and creativity and they help mold our consciousness. Their dedication and
patience continue to give us hope-- hope that translates into inspiration to dream
big and the determination to reach them. As part of their vocation, they
encourage us to love God and society. They are the present-day heroes
because of the difference they make to the lives of our students.

We continue to address the pressing issues of backlogs in teachers, classrooms,

and textbooks. For 2018, the proposed appropriations for the Department of
Education has increased by an additional 42 billion pesos. Through the
Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education or
GASTPE, scholarship grants, student loan programs, subsidies, and other
incentives are made available and it will be expanded so that more students can
attend school. The tax reform bill which is passed by the Congress is a social
legislation that aims to cut personal income taxes. In effect, it will uplift the dignity
and morale of our teachers.

Finally, we believe that education continues to be the greatest equalizer. It

provides a level playing field. We thank our school leaders and teachers for
continuing to fulfill their mission in providing the youth good education. Mabuhay!