The best man for the job

If we are to gauge the sentiments of the present Commission on Appointments (CA), another Cabinet nominee of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) might get bypassed again. Without mincing words, Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri who chairs the 25-man bicameral body singled out Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo Pascual. That is, if Pascual fails to do something effective to stop the “predatory pricing” by unscrupulous producers and traders.

Unlike Pascual, the CA presiding officer was profuse in lauding PBBM’s appointment of Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. as the new Defense Secretary. After being extended to head the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace and Unity (OPAPRU), Galvez was named to replace Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr. who resigned as officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Department of National Defense (DND). The President appointed Galvez in “acting” capacity as DND Secretary since Congress is still in recess.

“I fully support him.  I think he will have a great – not an easy – but he will have no difficulties in hurdling the Commission on Appointments,” Zubiri enthused. This early, Galvez has secured already the vote of the presiding officer of the CA.

Likewise, Zubiri asserted the appointment of Gen. Andres Centino as comebacking Chief of Staff of the AFP (CSAFP) will have to go through again to the CA wringer. Like Galvez, Zubiri predicts Centino will breeze through the CA. Both Galvez and Centino, Zubiri noted, got confirmed without hitches when they underwent the CA in the past as former CSAFP.

Attending our Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum last Wednesday, the Senate chief admitted his extreme disappointment on the buck-passing by Pascual to the Department of Agriculture (DA) in enforcing the DTI’s own power and authority to impose suggested retail prices (SRP) to include those goods sold especially at the wet markets in Metro Manila. Zubiri challenged the DTI chief to strictly enforce SRP not only of sugar but also on onions and other agricultural crops that have been rising amid inflation factors worsened by “predatory pricing” by profiteers.

“That’s why Pascual has not been confirmed. Pascual needs to act,” Zubiri fumed in Tagalog. Addressing himself to the DTI Secretary, Zubiri ranted: “Sec. Pascual, inflation is your department. Alam mo mahal kita pero kailangan mo mag double time because you know… umikot ka sa mga merkado.”

Pascual’s fate hangs in a balance with no less than the Senate president echoing such dismay and disappointment publicly. The DTI chief must be seen actively on top of the government’s efforts to stem the spiraling prices, or at the very least mitigate the impact of inflation, especially on the prices of food products.

Before the 19th Congress adjourned for their Christmas break last month, Pascual and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Erwin Tulfo were by-passed by the CA. To enable him to continue in office, PBBM issued another ad interim appointment to Pascual as “acting” DTI Secretary. By-passed by the CA for the second time, PBBM decided to let go of Tulfo and quickly named DSWD Undersecretary Eduardo Punay as OIC.

At the Kapihan sa Manila Bay, the Senator from Mindanao earnestly vouched for the confirmation of Galvez in the latter’s new post in the Marcos Cabinet. “When it comes to Galvez, I just want to put on record that I am fully supportive of General Galvez assuming the post as Secretary of National Defense,” the Senate chief stressed. Zubiri recalled having worked well with Galvez for many years while the Senator shepherded the passage into law of the Bangsamoro Organic Act.

At that time, Galvez was still the CSAFP during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Zubiri recalled going through the rounds of public hearings on the proposed areas to be placed under the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Describing Galvez as “a man of peace,” Zubiri quoted the erstwhile CSAFP’s consistent calls for the lawmakers to pass the proposed BARMM bill into law as the “political solution” to stop the pestering secessionists bid by certain Muslim extremists leaders and supporters. “Para hindi na mamatay ang ating mga sundalo at sibilyan dito sa isyu nitong Moro independence,” Zubiri said further quoting the urgent appeals of Galvez. This was during those days of the “siege” in Marawi City and other Mindanao provinces threatened by participation of foreign Islamic extremists in armed clashes against the government troopers.

Following the approval into law of the BARMM, Zubiri claimed, he recommended to ex-President Duterte to appoint Galvez – who was retiring as CSAFP at the time – to head the OPAPP and the rest is history, so to speak. “Of course, we have seen him (Galvez) in many capacities as anti-COVID czar and nakita naman natin ‘yong galing ng kaniyang pag-trabaho dito bilang anti-COVID czar,” Zubiri added.

Zubiri was only too happy when Galvez was retained at the OPAPP when PBBM assumed office in June last year. He credited Galvez for having “dramatically brought down identified communist areas” all around the country by implementing the development projects funded by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. According to Zubiri, Galvez continued to help him at the 19th Congress to shepherd the extension of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority until 2025. “So I worked well with him (Galvez). He has a great heart for our people. He knows fully well the security concerns of our country, both internal and external,” he further went on.

“So he’s (Galvez) a great man for the job,” the Senate chief declared.

Amid reported grumblings within the military ranks, Galvez was met by resignations at the DND when he first reported to his new office in the AFP Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. Faustino claimed PBBM kept him in the dark in the re-appointment of Centino as CSAFP.

Unfazed in the fate that befell Faustino, Galvez asked those who resigned to stay put and work with him under PBBM’s unity team.