THE Commission on Appointments on Wednesday finally confirmed the ad interim appointment of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, along with Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar.
Cusi’s appointment was deferred last week following questions raised by Senator Panfilo Lacon regarding the country’s electrification project. He failed to provide the powerful commission with data requested.
Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito seconded the motion to confirm Cusi’s appointment and said he shared an advocacy with the Cabinet official.
“Secretary Alfonso Cusi thinks outside of the box and is willing to make unpopular decisions on energy exploration…Now that we desperately need to find solutions on how to bring down the cost of electricity and tap other resources, I trust that Secretary Cusi can make these happen,” said Ejercito.
Senator Miguel Zubiri underlined the brilliance of Dominguez, who served as Agriculture secretary and Minister of Natural Resources during the administration of then President Corazon Aquino, adding the department would be in good hands as it moves towards genuine fiscal reform.
Senator Ralph Recto said Dominguez’s mere presence alone in the Cabinet was enough to calm the market and assure investors whenever The Punisher throws a tantrum,” Recto said, in reference to President Rodrigo Duterte.
“He is The Pacifier who brings a tranquilizing effect when business gets the jitters— and he does it without even uttering a single word,” the senator added.
During Dominguez’s confirmation hearing, concerns were raised on President Duterte’s “insults” against the United States, fearing these could put in jeopardy the $3-billion Official Development Assistance fund the Philippines is getting from Western countries.
“The question in everybody’s minds, in maintaining our independent foreign policy, (is) do we have to insult our allies? And here you are talking about $3 billion in official development assistance,” Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon said.
“If we insult our friends every day, will this not put in jeopardy this $3 billion?” the senator asked Dominguez, who answered “that there might be a school of thought that would say ‘it’s not advisable to do that.”
Asked whether he belongs to that school of thought, the DOF chief said: “I’m not the Foreign Affairs minister.”
Davao Oriental Rep. Joel Mayo Almario, chairman of the CA committee on labor, employment and social welfare nominated Secretary Bello for confirmation, citing the reforms he has made in his first 100 days in office.
Almario said Bello’s “fitness, competence, and integrity” was enough to convince his committee that he possesses the qualifications his post requires.
“From addressing labor issues to armed conflict, he stood his ground and never faltered,” the congressman said.
Bello is also the government chief negotiator in peace talks with the National Democratic Front in Oslo, Norway.
Manila Rep. Rosenda Ann Ocampo, chairperson of the CA committee on government corporations and other offices, nominated Andanar for confirmation. Sen. Loren Legarda said Andanar was the “best man for the job” in effectively communicating the messages of the Duterte administration to the public.
Prior to Andanar’s confirmation, Drilon expressed wonder if PCO secretaries need confirmation although he vowed to support it.
Drilon cited the 1987 Constitution which provides that since the PCO secretary heads an office and not a department, he should no longer need confirmation. He noted that previous PCO secretaries, Herminio Coloma Jr. among others, did not go through confirmation.
“It is the first time CA will hear the appointment of a PCO secretary. It will be a precedent that future secretaries may be subject to confirmation,” Drilon said.
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano agreed with Drilon, but emphasized that secretaries who are heads of offices could also be confirmed.
Cayetano expressed support for the immediate confirmation of Andanar, noting he has a tough job with many limitations.