On March 28, 2010 an estimate of 700 graduates will be walking down the stage to receive the proof of their years of hardwork, struggles, pains and even tears which they so toughly overcame.  Naga College Foundation proudly salutes its Graduating Batch of 2010!

This year’s theme is “NCF Graduates: Anchored on Quality Education, Responsive to the Needs of the Times and Directed to Service”.

Naga College Foundation provided them with the powerful tool of “learning”; it is now up to them to apply these tools for the betterment of humanity.  Hence NCF invited a Commencement Speaker who will provide inspiration to its Graduating Class…

HON. JONATHAN E. MALAYA, Assistant Secretary for Special Projects of the Department of Education.

In His Own Words
“If there is a word that best describes me, it would be "Liberal" because it reflects my political persuasion and world view. I also have my pretensions to being a "writer" because I love the craft. And lastly, perhaps I feel that I am also a "public servant" because I have dedicated myself to serve the government.”

His Personal Profile
Born and raised in Bicol by his parents - (the late) Judge Angel Sotto Malaya and Mrs. Corazon "Zony" Enciso of Iriga City, Asst. Secretary Jonathan E. Malaya is a pure “Oragon”.  He describes himself as a “red hot Bikolano and proud of it”.  Asst. Secretary Jonathan E. Malaya is the youngest of the four Malaya children.  His father was a law professor and RTC Judge of Naga City while his mother was a public school teacher who rose through the ranks to become Schools Division Superintendent of Camarines Sur.  He is married to Atty. Melanie Soriano Malaya of Tarlac.  They are blessed with twin children, Nathan Gerrard and Nicole Francesca.

The Educational Background
Asst. Secretary Jonathan E. Malaya obtained his elementary and high school education from the Augustinian Sisters in Iriga City, graduating from the La Consolacion Academy (now College) in 1990.  He is an alumnus of the University of the Philippines – Diliman, where he finished his Bachelors Degree in Education, major in English.

An Accomplished Public Servant
Asst. Secretary Jonathan E. Malaya first joined the Department of Education in 2005 as Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Education. 

Today at age 32, he is one of the youngest Assistant Secretaries in Government Service. He was first appointed to that position in the Office of the President by Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself. He served as an Assistant Secretary in the Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel.  At age 33, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Office of the Solicitor General, Department of Justice. Later on, he was appointed Judicial Staff Head under the Office of Associate Justice Antonio Nachura, Supreme Court of the Philippines.
Being the son of noble educators, he contained his heart with the Education sector.  Thus in 2007, when Secretary Jesli A. Lapus offered him the chance to rejoin the Department, he immediately accepted. At age 34, he was appointed Assistant Secretary for Special Projects and Legislative Liaison of the Department of Education.

Asst. Secretary Jonathan E. Malaya had a wealth of experience in legislative staff work.  He worked in the background in crafting policy and law.  In the Philippine Senate, he served as Director for Legislation (Director II) to Senator Mar Roxas. In the lower house, he was Supervising Legislative Staff Officer to the Chair of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments, and to the Chair of the Committee on Basic Education and Culture. 

Crediting his vast experience and his capacity as Legislative Liaison Officer of the DepED, he successfully lobbied for the passage of the bill increasing the salaries of public school teachers through the Salary Standardization Law III.  He also leads the unprecedented effort to build a socialized housing program for public school teachers.

A Dedicated Educator
An educator at heart, Asst. Secretary Jonathan E. Malaya taught Public Speaking, English Literature, and Political Theory at Assumption College-San Lorenzo and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Manila.

A Passionate Writer
Asst. Secretary Jonathan E. Malaya has also written four (4) books, the foremost of which is the critically acclaimed So Help Us God: The Presidents of the Philippines and Their Inaugural Addresses, a book which he wrote with his brother Jose Eduardo Malaya.  It is about the presidential history written in 2004 and Hit the Podium!: Getting Started in Debate, a text book on public speaking.  The latter is being used in schools across the country.
Source: http://www.deped.gov.ph