Lawmakers support gov’t revamp

Two congressmen expressed support yesterday for President Arroyo’s plan to undertake a top-to-bottom government revamp that would begin with her Cabinet.

In a joint statement, Representatives Federico Sandoval II of Malabon-Navotas and Vincent Garcia of Davao City said a government-wide reorganization would make the bureaucracy more lean, effective and efficient.

"The government should have the political will to make the bureaucracy lean but efficient in serving the public. Efficiency is not in numbers but in skill, focus and heart in service," they said.

They said the plan to downsize the government by retiring unnecessary personnel deserves the support of the public.

Mrs. Arroyo is expected to make some "lateral" changes in her Cabinet by shuffling some officials, including Environment Secretary Mike Defensor, who is being eyed as the next presidential chief of staff.

The Cabinet shuffle would be complemented by a shakeup in the bureaucracy, which could result in the abolition of unimportant and overlapping positions. Based on budget documents that the President had submitted to Congress, Malacañang has the most number of undersecretaries and assistant secretaries.

The Palace’s Office of the Communications Director had three other officials with Cabinet rank in addition to its former head, Silvestre Afable Jr. It had several undersecretaries and assistant secretaries.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye has two co-equals in his agency. They are Cerge Remonde, who is in charge of government and sequestered media entities, and Rene Velasco, who heads the Philippine Information Agency, one of several offices under Bunye. Both Remonde and Velasco hold Cabinet-level positions.

Sandoval said the Palace should clean its backyard first before moving to streamline other agencies.

He said the government should offer attractive separation and retirement benefits to those who would be affected by the government-wide reorganization.

He noted that as early as two years ago, Malacañang had announced that it would obtain a loan from the World Bank to fund the retirement program. — Jess Diaz