Barely nine days before the inauguration of the President- and Vice President-elect on June 30, Vice President Noli de Castro on Saturday appealed to incoming President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III to retain career executives in the government, especially those who have shown good performance.

De Castro urged the new leaders of the incoming administration to continue the sound programs started by the current administration.

“I hope those who are only working as career executives in the government will not be disregarded by the incoming administration,” De Castro said in Pilipino during his DZMM radio program “Para Sa’yo, Bayan” on Saturday morning.

“Maraming magaling sa gobyerno na career executives, na matagal na sa gobyerno. Alam na nila ang gagawin nila. Yun sana’y gamitin niya,” De Castro appealed, adding that they should not be fired just because they worked under the Arroyo administration. (“There are many career executives in the government who have served long years in government and they know what to do. I hope [Aquino] will still use them in his government.”)

De Castro said it is also his appeal to incoming Vice President-elect Jejomar Binay to continue the programs he had started, adding that among his legacies is the low-cost housing for poor Filipinos.

“Magandang iwan mo na magkaroon ng chance ang karamihan na magkaroon ng sariling bahay at lupa [It would be good to see majority of Filipinos have their chance to acquire their own house and lot],” he said, citing the teachers, soldiers, and policemen who have yet to have their own homes.

Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Mona Valisno, for her part, said the next DepEd Secretary should allot a certain kind of caring for education.

“I’ll do everything to be able to orient [whoever will replace me]. I’ll stay until I am needed, until things can be stabilized,” Valisno said.

“I’m a career [executive], I can help but hanggang doon lang, [after my term], I will go,” she said.

“Education is an entry for economic growth. Human resource, human capital is important in pushing the economy. I pledge my continuous passion for education, my commitment to education,” Valisno said.