Pichay named LWUA chairman

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo has appointed former Suri-gao del Sur congressman Prospero Pichay to the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) as chairman of the agency’s board.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Mrs. Arroyo signed Pichay’s appointment papers on Aug. 20. Ermita did not say when the appointment would take effect.

“The President believes Pichay will be able to contribute a lot in his  new position,” Ermita said.

The top LWUA post is currently held by Proceso Domingo in an acting capacity. Members of the LWUA board elect their chairman.

The LWUA is responsible for the government’s potable water projects nationwide and extends credit and financial assistance for various projects in water districts, which include engineering studies and design improvement.

The LWUA was previously under the Department of Public Works and Highways but Mrs. Arroyo transferred it to the Department of Health last month.

The 58-year-old Pichay was earlier rumored to be appointed to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

A three-term congressman from Surigao del Sur, Pichay ran and lost in the 2007 senatorial race. He holds a commerce degree from De La Salle University and owns various firms.

Pichay is the fourth losing senatorial candidate to be given a government post this year. The others are former senator Ralph Recto as head of the National Economic and Development Authority, Vicente Sotto III as chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board, and Michael Defensor as the head of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 task force. The task force has since been disbanded.

Meanwhile, another retired justice has taken over the reins of another controversy-tainted government agency.

Fifteen years after leaving the judiciary, retired Court of Appeals justice Nicolas Lapena Jr. has returned to public service and assumed the post of chairman of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

Mrs. Arroyo earlier appointed retired Supreme Court justice Jose Melo to the Commission on Elections.

Lapena said he was surprised at being appointed to replace Leonor Rosero, who ended her seven-year term as PRC chair last Aug. 2.  

“The appointment came as a surprise, but I consider it a challenge,” Lapena disclosed when asked why he accepted the post.

PRC Commissioner Nilo Rosas said officials and employees of the commission welcomed Lapena’s appointment.

“We are looking forward to a better PRC because of his extensive background in the judiciary and as an educational manager,” Rosas said.

He also expressed confidence that Lapena’s appointment would help improve the PRC’s image, which was tainted by the reported leakage in the 2006 nursing licensure examination.

Despite the controversies, Lapena said he does not intend to implement major reforms in the commission.

“The previous chairman already implemented remedial measures to address the alleged leakage so I will just continue what she started,” he said.

Lapena said he plans to decentralize the PRC by establishing more regional offices and satellite offices in the provinces.

He also hopes to build a new PRC building and fully computerize the commission’s operations. - With Mayen Jaymalin