MANILA, Philippines – The confirmation hearings of newly designated secretaries Manuel Roxas II of interior and local government and Joseph Emilio Abaya of transportation and communications are ready to be set at the Commission on Appointments (CA).
Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, CA committee on interior and local government chairman, said he is ready to set the hearings for Roxas once the CA receives his appointment papers.
“Yes, necessarily,” Sotto said when asked if he is ready to tackle Roxas’ confirmation hearings before the Senate goes into a brief break on Sept. 21.
It was important to immediately confirm Roxas and Abaya since President Aquino has given them regular appointments, he added.
Palawan Rep. Antonio Alvarez chairs the CA committee on transportation and communications.
Sotto said regular appointments are fittingly called “nominations,” which are made when Congress is in session.
“The CA is convened to vote on the nomination,” he said.
“Upon confirmation by the CA, it is only then that the appointment is finalized and therefore, allowing the appointee to sit and perform the functions and powers of the position.”
Sotto said ad interim appointments are those made when Congress is in recess, and that the CA cannot convene and vote on the appointment.
In such cases, the appointee gets to sit and perform his duties until the CA rejects the appointment or until the next adjournment of Congress.
Congress will go on a break from Sept. 22 to Oct. 7 this year.
Since Roxas’ and Abaya’s appointments were made while Congress is in session, they must get CA approval before they are able to perform.
Once the committees have confirmed Abaya and Roxas, the entire CA will formally adopt and confirm them during plenary session.
Once a nominee is affirmed or rejected, the CA will inform the President through a report whenever Congress adjourns session.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said in a radio interview the CA is just waiting for the nomination papers of Roxas and Abaya.
“(It all) depends on the nominees,” he said.
“Once their nominations have been received, the CA will ask them to complete their papers. After publication, there will be hearings. I don’t know how fast they can do these things.”
Roxas, Abaya takeover
Roxas and Abaya cannot assume office yet until after their appointments are confirmed, Malacañang said yesterday.
Speaking over state-run dzRB radio, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the CA must first confirm the appointments of Roxas and Abaya.
“From what I understand, the Commission on Appointments must first confirm them before they can assume the post because Congress is in session,” she said.
Valte said Roxas is still secretary of transportation and communications and Abaya remains a lawmaker from Cavite.
Valte brushed aside speculations of an impending revamp in the Cabinet.
“We have not been advised of anything to that effect,” she said.
Roxas’ biggest challenge
Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Treñas said yesterday the biggest challenge facing Roxas is improving the peace and order situation in most of the country.
“The biggest challenge for Secretary Mar is definitely peace and order,” he said. “But with his long experience in government and his excellent management skills, I am confident that we would see some immediate improvement in the country’s peace and order situation.”
The Liberal Party member said public perception, particularly in Metro Manila, is that the crime situation is deteriorating.
Under Roxas, the Philippine National Police has to do more to overcome such perception and improve its image, he added.
Treñas said if the late Secretary Jesse Robredo were alive, he would welcome Roxas as his successor.
“(The choice of Roxas) is a solid testament of the Chief Executive’s commitment in ensuring the fruition of all the reforms initiated by Secretary Jesse,” he said.
The House of Representatives committee on good government and public accountability chairman also lauded Aquino’s appointment of Cavite Rep. Abaya as secretary of transportation and communications in place of Roxas.
Roxas was a natural choice for interior secretary since he “is down-to-earth, despite his privileged family background and possesses outstanding management and leadership skills,” he added
“Secretary Mar is an all around troubleshooter,” he said. “That’s the reason why the President appointed him in the DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) at a time when the agency was in some sort of turmoil.”
“Now, he’s been appointed to the DILG because that highly sensitive position needs the best of the best,” he added.
Treñas said Roxas is the only one among Aquino’s trusted men who has a wide grasp of the reforms that Robredo has started, including his bid to put in place a system that would optimize the capabilities of local government units to respond to the needs of their constituents.
Roxas is also the most experienced among Aquino’s men to take Robredo’s place, he added.
Treñas said Abaya “is very adept and very familiar with the workings of the transportation and communications sector.”
“He is young and has a very deep background in the field of engineering,” he said.
“He has a very scientific mind and a deep know-how on the latest technological breakthroughs. These are the perfect recipe for a perfect transportation and communications secretary.” Abaya graduated with distinction from the US Naval Academy in Annapolis with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, and has a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University in New York.
“You need someone who knows the telco and transportation business pretty well, and I guess Congressman Abaya is the best choice,” he said.
Roxas for president
Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said yesterday there is nothing wrong if Roxas wants to run for president in 2016.
“You do not crucify or castigate anybody for having presidential ambitions,” he said. “You do not take it against him if he wants to run for president.”
Duterte said the appointment of Roxas as interior and local government secretary should be counted as a blessing.
“The DILG post is a blessing to him. You do not fault him for that,” he said.
Duterte said people must remember that Roxas gave up his plan to run for president in 2010 to give way to Aquino. – With Jess Diaz, Edith Regalado, Cecille Suerte Felipe