GMA accepts quit bid of Climaco

Resigned but reassigned.

President Arroyo has accepted the resignation of her adviser on strategic projects Gloria Tan-Climaco, but retained her as senior consultant on strategic projects, minus the Cabinet rank.

Mrs. Arroyo quickly sought to douse speculations that Climaco resigned after being disillusioned over the government’s handling of the controversial contracts with the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco) for the construction and operation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA 3).

In an informal press luncheon at Malacañang yesterday, Mrs. Arroyo confirmed Climaco’s resignation from the Cabinet after the latter completed her task of reviewing the Piatco contracts ordered by the President last year.

"(Climaco’s) resignation as full time presidential adviser, yes (I accepted). But I appointed her as senior presidential consultant for strategic projects," the President said.

A presidential adviser, the President said, carried Cabinet rank and cannot accept any other jobs, as prescribed by the Administrative Code. "As senior presidential consultant, she (Climaco) gives me advice but she can do other things," Mrs. Arroyo said.

The President said Climaco’s new status would be like that of other resigned former presidential advisers, like former adviser for regional development Paul Dominguez, former adviser for international competitiveness Roberto Romulo and former Presidential Management Staff chief Vicky Garchitorena. All of these former advisers, Mrs. Arroyo said, are now just consultants "on call" to her.

The President added that all her former advisers left high-paying jobs in the private sector to join the government and resigned after having served in government for one year.

"For those people who are very successful at business, I can understand, you know, that they sacrificed and they cannot have other sources of income. So, they served for a while, then they continue to serve on a part-time basis," Mrs. Arroyo said.

Climaco resigned "because she has already worked for me for one year and, therefore, she’d like to do other things as well," she said.

During her short stint in the Cabinet, Climaco had set up a unit in the Office of the President to review strategic government projects like the Piatco contract and, lately, the controversial contract between water concessionaire Maynilad and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

The President expressed her satisfaction with the work done by Climaco in the Piatco case, after she ordered Climaco last year to discuss the offer of German contractor Fraport AG to buy into the NAIA 3 project to the government. Fraport AG is one of the partners of Cheong Yong in the Piatco consortium.

Climaco, the Chief Executive said, even helped the Cabinet committee composed of Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Justice Secretary Hernando Perez, Economic Planning Secretary Dante Canlas and Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon in their review of the Piatco deals.

Piatco spokesman Moises Tolentino in September urged Climaco to inhibit herself from participating in the review of the contract as well the proposal of Fraport AG to sell its stake in Piatco in exchange for a government takeover of the project.

Climaco told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee then that, based on her review, it was in the government’s interest to accept Fraport’s proposal.

Meanwhile, the President said she will continue the Cabinet performance review to match the right people to the right job, adding that there should be no speculations she will institute a Cabinet revamp next year. — Marichu Villanueva