Australian deputy prime minister pay courtesy call on VP Sara Duterte

Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles paid a courtesy call to Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday afternoon.

Duterte expressed gratitude to the Australian government for providing training on transportation for students in Davao City.

For his part, Marles, who also sits as the defense minister, discussed the importance of security in enabling national development.

The Vice President affirmed that her interest in security and development was ignited, when she was still a mayor, saying that “the topmost priority in Mindanao is security and development.”

“My learning is that gaining peace was relatively easy, sustaining the peace is difficult,” Duterte said.

Meanwhile, both leaders shared the significance of education in advancing progress.

Duterte, who sits as Education secretary, admitted the challenge by the education folio and the systemic problems in basic education, especially budget.

She said the Department of Education (DepEd) was willing to give technical assistance to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Ministry of Education to uplift the students’ quality of education  in the area.

Marles’ itinerary includes a visit to the BARMM, according to the Office of the Vice President (OVP). -- BAP, GMA Integrated News