Faith, Duty, and Country: the Multi-layered Passions of Leonor Magtolis Briones

Leonor Magtolis Briones, current Secretary of Education, may not fix the concept of the typical government bureaucrat. Liling came to DepEd from a life filled wich adventures that she met head on and she always came up the winner.

From a life of near poverty in the rural town of Guihulngan, Negros Oriental, she was able to hone her inborn talents in Silliman University, Dumaguete City. In Silliman, she prepared herself to earn money to help her family by pursuing a degree in accounting. However, beyond academics, she learned the values her father taught his children about faith, duty, and nationalism. Her campus life was invigorated by concerts, seminars and bible studies, which completed her life.

Then she went to Manila and received a fellowship in the Institute of Public Administration of the University of the Philippines. Her studies took her beyond the university's Manila campus and into the main campus in Diliman. Through readings, teachers, seminars and intellectual interactions with students, her mind opened up to new ideas about life. She believed that life's responsibilitics included seeking social equality and she thought of exerting her efforts to improve the lives of others.

These ideas she pursued with vigor. She became involved in political movements as a young faculty member. Meeting and marrying a man of the same motivation, she embarked on activities in and out of the campus. Thus, when Martial Law was decreed, both husband and wife retreated to her father's town in Negros Occidental until their group was amnestied.

Despite being involved in progressive politics, her talents were noticed by government officials who entrusted her leadership in the field of financial management in different offices. She also got involved in civil society activities and got into leadership of social development causes, which made her locally and internationally popular.

Thus, the provinciana who was raised with values of faith and concern for others has learned that she can do her share of helping the larger society through duty propelled by her faith.

Published in 2020 by National College of Public Administration and Governance

168 pages / Hardcover