Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte on Wednesday, Labor Day, lauded the dedication and hard work of so-called modern-day heroes.

“Saludo kami sa hindi matatawarang sipag at dedikasyon ninyo. Ang bawat araw ninyong pagsusumikap ay aming gabay tungo sa landas ng pag-unlad ng ating bayan (We salute your unwavering diligence and dedication. Each day of your hard work serves as our guide towards the prosperity of our nation),” she said in a statement.

Duterte also highlighted the contributions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), medical and security frontliners, community workers, teachers, and all other workers both in public service and private sectors in nation-building.

“Kayo ang itinuturing na tunay na bayani sa makabagong panahon. Nawa’y ipagpatuloy natin ang pagtahak sa isang maunlad na kinabukasan (You’re the true heroes of the new age. We hope to continue to move forward to a brighter future),” she added.

In the education sector, meanwhile, Duterte approved the rationalization of the workloads and specifications of ancillary tasks of all public school teachers, two days before Labor Day, through Department Order No. 5, series of 2024.

Under DO 5, teachers are allowed to spend longer time, equivalent to six hours, on classroom-based teaching, with the remaining two hours for ancillary tasks which may be done within and outside school premises.

Before the issuance of the order, Duterte earlier directed the removal of administrative tasks from teachers to promote their welfare; as well as improve the quality of teaching processes and outcomes. (PNA)