There is a new Cabinet member in the person of Larry Gadon, a recently-disbarred lawyer who is now the presidential adviser on anti-poverty.
The appointment was quickly assailed by different sectors because of the character of Gadon who has been known to use vitriolic and vulgar language. In fact it was his verbal abuse of a journalist that led the Supreme Court to remove him from the roll of attorneys.
But this isn’t about his character, as it seems that everyone and his or her mother has weighed in on Gadon’s actions and how he doesn’t deserve such a post. What about the position itself?
Is such a position even necessary with all the people the president can turn to to help alleviate poverty including the people of the National Anti-Poverty Commission, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, as well as other agencies aligned with this function?
Can the taxpayers afford the additional burden? According to a report, as a presidential adviser and in accord with the Salary Standardization Law, Gadon will receive Grade 31, which earns him a base monthly salary of ?278,434.
But the expense don’t stop there. Gadon will need to have an office. He will need staff. He will need to go to events. That will require even more taxpayers’ money.
Of course, it is the prerogative of the president to hire whom he damn well pleases and to what position he might have in mind, even a totally made-up one.
But there will always be those of us who can’t help but think Gadon is just being hired because he lost during the last election and the president can’t help but feel sorry for him and wants to put him somewhere.
To be fair about it, this wouldn’t be the first time a Philippine president --or any Philippine politician for that matter-- created a position then hired someone seemingly unsuitable for it. Call it a political accommodation or whatever you want. This is common in politics after all.
With any luck this position of presidential adviser on poverty alleviation might actually help alleviate poverty and won’t end up causing more issues or, God forbid, end up making some people even poorer.