VP wants Cabinet cooperation with NAPC

You could call the vice president the official Palace tattle-tale.

Vice President Noli de Castro yesterday said he will not hesitate to report to President Arroyo any Cabinet members who do not cooperate with the pro-poor programs of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC).

De Castro has been designated by the President as her alternate at the helm of the NAPC. He said the President told him that the lead convenor and other NAPC officials cannot easily issue directives to Cabinet members who hold higher rank in the President’s official family.

In order to implement the 10-point agenda enumerated by the President during her state of the nation address (SONA) yesterday, the NAPC needs the cooperation of all Cabinet members — cooperation De Castro intends to obtain through persuasion.

"If we are still unable to convince them, I will report (uncooperative) Cabinet members to the President," he said. "If Cabinet members will not come together for the President’s programs, especially her 10-point agenda, who else will cooperate if the President’s official family cannot be united?"

De Castro will serve as the President’s alternate NAPC chairman after he announced Saturday that he is declining the post of secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which Mrs. Arroyo offered to him.

He said he gave way so DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman may retain her post, saying he made this decision in the spirit of "self-sacrifice" that places the national interest over self interest. Prior to this, De Castro said he wanted the DSWD portfolio concurrently with the vice presidency.

"I just showed that I will not grab power or be gleeful because my powers have been expanded," he said. "We have proven a lot of things with that (decision)."

The Vice President is confident he will continue to have a harmonious relationship with the President and that they will work as a team.

He added that his designation as the President’s alternate in the NAPC is an active role for the implementation of pro-poor programs.

De Castro also said he is eyeing the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as a "fallback" after declining the DSWD post. The DENR is now headed by Secretary Elisea Gozun.