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‘Awful manager’ PNoy risks losing endorsement value for 2016 polls – Osmeña
By ANDREO CALONZO, GMA News
(Updated 9:15 a.m., March 14) President Benigno Aquino III risks losing his endorsement value in 2016 if he does not get his act together to fix the country's pressing problems, his Senate ally and former campaign manager said Thursday.
At a press briefing, Senator Sergio Osmeña III said Aquino continues to be "hardheaded" and an "awful manager" with more than two years left in his term.
"We're not going to overthrow or what not. However, he's going to lose much of his endorsement value in 2016. You know, you have to ascribe or assign a certain value to the endorsement by a sitting president even if he is the outgoing president," Osmeña told reporters.
"I want him to do well. I want him to do better, but sometimes, he's so hardheaded. You know naman how hardheaded he can be, but what can we do?" he added.
Osmeña likewise said the President should pick the person he will endorse for the next presidential polls wisely. "It all depends on who he [Aquino] endorses... Kapag ang inendorso niya, teka-teka, magiging teka-teka party sila."
Aquino currently chairs the ruling Liberal Party (LP). Last year, Senate President Franklin Drilon, LP vice chairman, named Interior Secretary Mar Roxas as the administration standard-bearer in 2016.
In a Pulse Asia poll conducted from June to July last year, Aquino received "good" average grades of 80 percent on the issues of economic management and delivery of basic services.
Aquino also got passing marks in terms of strengthening political institutions, increasing peace, enforcing the law, strengthening foreign relations, fighting crimes and protecting the environment.
The President, however, received a "barely passing" grade in poverty reduction.
In a Pulse Asia poll conducted from June to July last year, Aquino received "good" average grades of 80 percent on the issues of economic management and delivery of basic services.
Aquino also got passing marks in terms of strengthening political institutions, increasing peace, enforcing the law, strengthening foreign relations, fighting crimes and protecting the environment.
The President, however, received a "barely passing" grade in poverty reduction.
Fire Petilla
Osmeña, Senate energy committee chairman, further said Aquino's continued refusal to fire Energy Jericho Petilla despite various problems in the power sector exemplifies the President's "poor" management skills.
"That's how he [Aquino] get things solved. He sticks with the people he appointed. He's an honest man, a good man, but an awful manager," the senator said.
Osmeña added that Petilla is clearly focused on politics and not on solving the country's energy woes.
"I've been observing him. I don't like what I see, not because he's not intelligent, but his mind is elsewhere," the senator said.
Osmeña, who chairs the Commission on Appointments (CA) energy panel, likewise said he has been deferring hearings on Petilla's confirmation because he does not want to embarrass the Cabinet official with "difficult questions."
'Entitled to decide on members of Cabinet'
At a press conference in Malacañang, Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said they "respect the views of Senator Osmeña."
'Entitled to decide on members of Cabinet'
At a press conference in Malacañang, Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said they "respect the views of Senator Osmeña."
But Coloma said that the President is "entitled to decide on the members of his Cabinet."
He likewise said the energy problem is very complicated since there are many players involved in it.
"So batid naman po namin na mayroong komprehensibong pananaw ang ating mga mambabatas. Pero dapat din pong malaman ng ating mga mamamayan na marami pong kalahok diyan sa industriya ng kuryente," he said.
The camp of Petilla, meanwhile, said they were leaving it up to the President to decide on the matter.
"Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla respects the statement of Sen. Sergio Osmeña ... but cannot understand which part of his (Petilla's) performance constitutes politicking. According to Petilla, he too is frustrated and can't possibly please everyone with his job," the statement said.
"(Sec.) Petilla says he leaves it up to the President to decide his fate in government," it added.
The camp of Petilla, meanwhile, said they were leaving it up to the President to decide on the matter.
"Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla respects the statement of Sen. Sergio Osmeña ... but cannot understand which part of his (Petilla's) performance constitutes politicking. According to Petilla, he too is frustrated and can't possibly please everyone with his job," the statement said.
"(Sec.) Petilla says he leaves it up to the President to decide his fate in government," it added.
Late last month, Mindanao experienced a widespread power outage, believed to be caused by a malfunction in a hydroelectric power plant in Lanao del Sur.
The Mindanao blackout came months after the government's Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) approved a big-time power rate increase by the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco). The rate hike was halted by the Supreme Court.
The DOE has also yet to fully restore power in some eastern Mindanao areas hit by Typhoon Pablo in 2012. — with Kimberly Jane Tan/RSJ/KG/KBK, GMA News
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