Lapus to decide on bid for Senate

CEBU, Philippines - Though Department of Education Secretary Jesli Lapus received invitations recently from two political parties, he could not decide yet whether seeking public office in next year’s elections would be a right move.

He did not name the two parties though, but he told the media yesterday during the launching of the Learning Resource Material and Development System here that he still has until November to make up his mind.

Lapus was wooed by two political parties to join their respective senatorial ticket.

The DepEd chief has set a record in Tarlac politics when he sought for reelection as congressman and as an unopposed candidate in the 2004 elections.

As chairman of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, Lapus sponsored the Overseas Absentee Voting Law allowing Filipinos overseas to vote during the 2004 polls.

Lapus is the principal author of inquiry and bills on pre-need companies beginning in 2000 which led to timely regulations at the Securities and Exchange Commission prior to major corporate collapses.

In 1987, he was appointed Undersecretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform and in 1992 was Land Bank of the Philippines chief. Six years later, he entered politics and completed three terms as representative 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 both “through dialogue, concrete solutions and swift action.” — Jasmin R. Uy/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)