When the current pervasive interest of the newly-installed administration in DCC (drugs, crime and corruption) shall have moderated, the Filipino people’s gaze will turn toward the element of life that will be determinative of its future progress and stability. I am referring to the economy. Given his professed non-interest in economics—“I leave that to the economic experts”—knowledgeable observers in business, academic and professional circles have been waiting anxiously for the appointments that President Rodrigo Duterte would make to the posts that make up the government’s economic management team.
The economic management team is headed, on a primus inter pares basis, by the Secretary of Finance. Working closely with the Secretary of Finance, as the distributor of the revenues that the Department of Finance’s component agencies collect, is the Secretary of Budget and Management. Then there are the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Labor and Employment. Providing overall strategy and direction to the operations of the economic management team is the Director-General of Neda (National Economic and Development Authority). Neda’s head also carries the title Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning.
Because they will theoretically be in their posts for the next six years, it is vitally important for the capable management of the Philippine economy that the officials enumerated above possess not only strong academic credentials and sufficient professional experience but also a personal philosophy conducive to the fulfillment of the mandate of his office and the objectives laid down in the new administration’s announced economic agenda. Having gone over the names of the individuals who have been appointed to the economic management team, most Filipinos appear—and I personally am—satisfied with the choices that President Duterte has made. It matters little that the appointments were made on the basis of personal closeness, e.g., that the appointee was a schoolmate or a childhood friend; what matters is that they are all personally and professionally qualified for their new posts.
The new Secretary of Finance, Carlos Dominguez, is a highly regarded and savvy businessman. Sonny Dominguez was a shoo-in for a key position in the Duterte Cabinet: he grew up and went to school with the Chief Executive in Davao City. Dominguez is no stranger to the Cabinet; he was President Corazon Aquino’s choice for Secretary of Agriculture. And he has held high corporate office: he has been president and CEO of Philippine Airlines. With all the promises of higher spending that Duterte has made, Sonny Dominguez has his job cut out for him.
Another economic management team member who is returning to the Cabinet—to his old post—is Benjamin Diokno. A University of the Philippines economics professor, Ben Diokno was President Joseph Ejercito Estrada’s Secretary of Budget and Management. It will be interesting to see which of his immediate predecessor’s policy changes he will retain and which he will discard. Given his record and reputation, disbursements of the PDAF and DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Program) kind are highly unlikely to recur during Ben Diokno’s watch.
The new Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning (and NEDA Director-General), Dr. Ernesto Pernia, has come to his new post with excellent academic and professional credentials. An economics professor emeritus of the UP, Ernie Pernia was a high-level economist at the Asian Development Bank. The new Secretary’s well-known stand on family planning and population management has already brought him into conflict with the Catholic Church. With President Duterte’s announced preference for three-children families and the new administration’s interest in strengthening implementation of the RH Act, the level of tension is bound to rise.
The new Secretary of Labor and Employment, Ateneo-trained lawyer Silvestre Bello III, has replaced an old Cabinet hat for a new one. In the administration of President Gloria Arroyo his domain was peace: he was the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. As Secretary of Labor and Employment, he will preside over the public debate on contractualization, the ending of which was promised by President Duterte—and by other Presidential candidates—during the recent electoral campaign.
Having been a longtime governor of an agricultural province, the new Secretary of Agriculture, Manuel Piñol, is very well acquainted with the problems of the typical Filipino farmer. Manny Piñol also has his job cut out for him, for the DA (Department of Agriculture) was probably the worst-performing department in the Aquino administration. The new Secretary has promised all-out DA support to farmers, including free irrigation water.
The new Secretary of Transportation, Art Tugade, a corporate lawyer with plenty of hands-on experience, has one of the toughest jobs in the economic management team. The principal entities in his administrative domain—LTO, LTFRB, Maritime Industry Authority, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, PNR, LRTA and the tollway operators—all have platefuls of problems. Urban traffic gridlocks, undisciplined transport operators, leaky ships, air safety and, of course, corrupt DoTC personnel will be on Secretary Tugade’s plate every day. One can only say, good luck, Mr. Secretary.
Finally, there is the new Secretary of Trade and Industry. Ramon Lopez made his mark in the Go Negosyo project for fostering entrepreneurship, particularly among people with modest capital. The new parameters for the Department of Trade and Industry include the coming into existence of the Asean Economic Community, the negotiations for a Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Duterte administration’s announced drive for a higher level of FDI (foreign direct investments). The new Secretary should be equal to these and other challenges.
E-mail: rudyromero@yahoo.com
