Cayetano pushes sports, art, culture in education Cabinet cluster
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday pushed for the inclusion of sports, art, and culture in the government’s Cabinet cluster for education, seeking to give these sectors a greater role in shaping the country’s education and workforce development policies.
During the Senate’s October 16 budget briefing for the Department of Education (DepEd), Cayetano stressed the importance of sports and art in the holistic development of students and in creating more economic opportunities for Filipinos locally and abroad.
“Let me lobby that sports and culture and art be included because it’s really as much a part of our education as anything else, as math and everything,” he told Education Secretary Sonny Angara.
Cayetano described sports and art as the “soul” of education, noting their role in teaching Filipino students valuable life skills that cannot be developed through academics alone.
“In sports, tinuturo sa’yo na kahit lahat ng points sa’yo [individually], kung madupang ka naman at talo naman y’ung team mo, bale wala… [In art and sports you also learn] problem-solving, creativity,” he said.
The Education and Workforce Development Group was established in August 2025 to coordinate the country’s education and employment policies. It is currently composed of eight agencies, including DepEd, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Labor Employment (DOLE), and Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
Cayetano was among the major proponents of the Cabinet cluster, having co-authored a resolution seeking its creation in 2024 as co-chairperson of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II).
He had specifically pushed for the involvement of labor and budget agencies to ensure that education reforms would respond to workforce needs and receive sustained funding.
Opening doors for Filipino artists
Beyond developing students’ character and talents, Cayetano also urged the education cluster to explore the economic potential of Philippine art by helping more Filipino artists find their “big break” in the international market.
He called for closer cooperation among DepEd, National Museum, and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to promote Filipino artists abroad and help them overcome barriers to international exposure.
He cited difficulties faced by artists in securing permits to bring their artworks overseas for exhibitions and subsequently return them to the Philippines.
“Ang dami nating aspiring artists, breakthrough lang (ang kailangan)… and then, really, someone to champion it,” he said.
Cayetano, who was DFA chief from 2017-2018, himself initiated “soft diplomacy” efforts in which the agency would actively look for an industry or “some kind of breakthrough where Filipinos can make it big abroad.”
His advocacy for the arts also extended to his term as House Speaker, during which the chamber created the Special Committee on Creative Industry and Performing Arts in 2020. He also proposed establishing a Department of Arts and Culture to strengthen government support for Filipino artists and promote their work internationally.
In the hearing, Cayetano pointed out that while the Philippines continues to face stiff competition in manufacturing and other industries, Filipino artists have the potential to succeed globally through their creativity and talent.
“The beauty about art is you don’t need to manufacture anything here. You don’t need to import anything from there. It’s the talent of the artist,” he said.
Angara agreed and said they would work on the senator’s suggestions, adding that EDCOM had already initiated discussions with prominent Filipino artists, including Patis Tesoro and Manny Garibay, to improve DepEd’s art curriculum.
Filipino Version
Sports, sining, at kultura nais isama ni Cayetano sa education Cabinet cluster
Itinutulak ngayon ni Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano ang partisipasyon ng mga ahensyang may kinalaman sa sports, sining, at kultura sa education cluster ng Gabinete para mapaigting ang papel ng mga ito sa kabuuang paghubog ng kabataang Pilipino at sa paglikha ng trabaho para sa mga Pilipino sa loob at labas ng bansa.
“Let me lobby that sports and culture and art be included because it’s really as much a part of our education as anything else, as math and everything,” wika ni Cayetano kay Education Secretary Sonny Angara sa pagdinig ng Senado sa panukalang 2027 budget ng Department of Education (DepEd) nitong Biyernes, October 16.
Para kay Cayetano, ang sports at sining ang diwa o “soul” ng edukasyon dahil nagtuturo ang mga ito ng mahahalagang kakayahan at katangiang hindi basta nakukuha sa akademikong pag-aaral.
“In sports, tinuturo sa’yo na kahit lahat ng points sa’yo [individually], kung madupang ka naman at talo naman y’ung team mo, bale wala… [In art and sports you also learn] problem-solving, creativity,” paliwanag niya.
Itinatag noong Agosto 2025 ang Education and Workforce Development Group upang pag-ugnayin ang mga programa ng gobyerno sa edukasyon at trabaho.
Binubuo ito ng walong ahensiya, kabilang ang DepEd, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), at Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
Isa si Cayetano sa mga pangunahing nagsulong ng pagbuo ng Cabinet cluster. Noong 2024, kabilang siya, bilang co-chairperson ng Second Congressional Commission on Education o EDCOM II, sa mga naghain ng resolusyon para sa pagtatatag nito.
Siya ang nagtulak na gawing miyembro ng cluster ang DOLE at Department of Budget and Management para matiyak na tutugon ang mga reporma sa edukasyon sa pangangailangan ng mga manggagawa at magkakaroon ng sapat na pondo para sa mga ito.
’Big break’ para sa mga Pinoy artist
Bukod sa paghubog ng talento at magandang asal ng mga kabataan, hinimok din ni Cayetano ang education cluster na bigyang pansin ang potensyal ng sining na makapagbukas ng mga ekonomikong oportunidad para sa mga Pilipino.
Partikular niyang hinikayat ang gobyerno na tulungan ang mga Pilipinong manlilikha na makilala at magtagumpay sa international market.
Iminungkahi niya ang mas malalim na pagtutulungan ng DepEd, National Museum, at Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) upang maipakilala ang mga likhang-sining ng mga Pilipino sa ibang bansa.
Kabilang aniya rito ay ang pagtugon sa mga balakid na kinakaharap ng mga artist, gaya ng mga permit na kailangan sa pagdadala ng kanilang mga likhang-sining sa ibang bansa para maitanghal sa mga exhibit at sa pagbabalik ng mga ito sa Pilipinas.
“Ang dami nating aspiring artists, breakthrough lang (ang kailangan)… and then, really, someone to champion it,” aniya.
Matagal nang isinusulong ni Cayetano ang pagbibigay ng mas malaking suporta sa sining at sa potensyal nitong gawing “soft power” ang Pilipinas.
Noong nagsilbi siyang DFA Secretary mula 2017 hanggang 2018, nagpatupad siya ng mga programa para sa “soft diplomacy” kung saan aktibong humahanap ang ahensya ng mga industriya kung saan posibleng magka-“big break” ang mga Pilipino sa pandaigdigang merkado.
Sa kanyang panunungkulan naman bilang House Speaker, binuo ng Kamara noong 2020 ang Special Committee on Creative Industry and Performing Arts. Iminungkahi rin niya noon ang pagtatatag ng Department of Arts and Culture upang mas masuportahan ang mga Pilipinong artist at maipakilala ang kanilang talento sa buong mundo.
Sa pagdinig, sinabi ni Cayetano na kung tila dehado sa kompetisyon sa manufacturing at iba pang industriya ang Pilipinas, malaki naman ang potensyal ng mga Pilipinong artist na magtagumpay sa ibang bansa dahil sa kanilang talento at pagiging malikhain.
“The beauty about art is you don’t need to manufacture anything here. You don’t need to import anything from there. It’s the talent of the artist,” punto niya.
Bilang tugon, sinabi naman ni Angara na bibigyang-pansin ng DepEd ang mga mungkahi ni Cayetano. Sinimulan na rin aniya ng EDCOM ang pakikipag-usap sa mga respetadong artist gaya nina Patis Tesoro at Manny Garibay upang mapaganda ang kurikulum ng DepEd sa sining.
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