Vice President Raquel Peña has taken on significant responsibilities at the behest of President Luis Abinader since the current administration first took office. On Tuesday, 16 September 2024, President Abinader issued Decree 540-24, appointing Peña as the head of the Cabinet of Education. This sector, despite receiving 4% of the GDP as its budget (RD$297 billion) continues to grapple with structural issues that impact the quality of education across the country.
Peña brings extensive experience as an educator, having previously served as the Vice Rector for Administration and Finance at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), the largest local private university. During her tenure, she led initiatives that promoted educational quality and institutional well-being, enabling optimal learning outcomes and effective administrative management to meet challenges head-on.
At the start of the Abinader administration, during the Covid-19 pandemic in August 2020, Peña was named to head the health cabinet. The Dominican management of the pandemic received global acclaim, as a combination of the shut down and extensive vaccinations, followed by the early opening to restart the tourism industry.
After her notable work in health, in October 2022, Abinader appointed her coordinator of the Electric Cabinet, addressing one of the administration’s most pressing challenges: rising electricity rates and collecting for power served.
Following the tragic assassination of Orlando Jorge Mera at the Ministry of Environment on 6 June 2022, on 18 June 2022, Peña was placed in charge of the Ministry of Environment to restore credibility to the ministry during a sensitive time for the administration.
Throughout her service, she has maintained a low profile while also addressing public safety concerns.
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Listin Diario
Diario Libre
El Caribe
DR1 News
23 September 2024