EDITORIAL - Early flak

MANILA, Philippines - Even as President Aquino was pilloried for his government’s handling of the hostage crisis in Rizal Park, he also continued to receive heavy flak for several of his appointments. The latest was his choice for officer-in-charge of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, one of the many government-owned and controlled corporations whose executives awarded themselves fat salaries and perks.

A party-list representative disclosed that MWSS OIC Macra Cruz received nearly P6 million in allowances and other benefits in less than three years in office. The amount, according to vouchers and ledgers, included P74,684.95 as “family week” allowance, a grocery allowance of P15,525 plus P20,000 for PX purchases, P98,591.10 as corporate bonus on top of the regular Christmas bonus of P71,860.95, P25,000 as medical reimbursement, P98,791 as scholarship allowance and P237,987 as bonus to mark the anniversary of the MWSS privatization. In need of more funds, Cruz also received P98,591 for calamity economic assistance and P98,691 as yearend financial assistance. Then she received a performance bonus of P75,474.95 and efficiency incentive benefit of P30,000. She also obtained a car loan of P800,000.

Cruz might just be warming the seat for a permanent MWSS chief under the new administration. But the criticism heaped on the President because of her appointment as OIC is flak he doesn’t need.

With the start of a new administration, thousands of positions reportedly need to be filled. Several new appointees have come under fire for mishandling controversial issues, and certain Cabinet members may not hurdle the Commission on Appointments. The President’s vetting committee is small, but if it feels overwhelmed, Malacañang should bring in some help to conduct the necessary background checks on potential appointees.

The President has allowed holdovers to stay on no later than the end of October. Before that deadline, he could be on the receiving end of more criticism for his choices. His vetting team will need to tighten its screening of the men and women who will make it possible for his administration to hit the ground running.