Tugade, Sueno, Villar appointments approved; Piñol deferred

The Commission on Appointments (CA) has approved on Tuesday the appointments of President Rodrigo Duterte’s three Cabinet secretaries while Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol failed to get the nod of a CA committee.

Approved by the CA were Secretaries Ismael Sueno of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Arthur Tugade of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), and Mark Villar of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of the CA committee on interior and local government, said Sueno will ensure that “no province, no town and no barangay shall be left behind” under his term.

“This goal should definitely resonate with all of us — public servants elected to serve the people of the Philippines. We must show tangible support for his vision,” Angara said.

Cebu Rep. Benhur Salimbangon, chairman of the CA committee on transportation and communication, meanwhile moved for the approval of Tugade’s appointment.

Despite the criticisms against Tugade, Salimbangon said the DOTr chief “remains undaunted and it is crystal clear to him what his mission is in the DOTr.”

Tugade’s appointment was opposed in the committee level by Raymundo Junia and Mischa Elman, who complained about the metro traffic situation.

In defending his appointment, Tugade said he cannot solve the traffic situation in the first 100 days nor the first six months in office.

“Hindi sarado ang aming mga tenga at mata sa mga kwestyon na dapat tutukan sa problema ng transportasyon,” Tugade assured.

Villar, Piñol

Villar’s appointment was also approved by the CA despite it not being initially scheduled by the commission.

Earlier in the day, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Villar could be bypassed by the CA over a budget amendment removing the P8.3-billion budget from the DPWH initially transferred by the House of Representatives.

Lacson said he had to clarify that the budget amendment was all his idea.

“Kasi bakit parang maapektuhan, the one who will feel the brunt, si Sec. Mark, samantalang ako lang talaga may kinalaman doon?” Lacson said in an interview.

“Nag-appeal na nga sa akin si Secretary Mark through the mother na kung pwede pabayaan ko na lang,” he added referring to Senator Cynthia Villar.

Senator Villar sat behind his son, Secretary Villar, during the latter’s CA confirmation hearing.

Senator Miguel Zubiri meanwhile praised Villar’s work ethic as he got the approval in the CA plenary. 

“Even before he was appointed, you could see that he really wanted the country to move forward and change for the better,” Zubiri said.

Agriculture Secretary Piñol’s appointment meanwhile had been deferred to 2017, when Congress resumes session after he was unable to answer several questions from the CA committee on agriculture and food. —ALG, GMA News