DoST official urges closure on leadership controversy

Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Assistant Secretary Maria Lourdes Orijola has decided to speak out, asking people at the agency to put an end to talk about statements made by a union leader last week. "The issue has been dragged to far. The union has come out with the clarification on their statement. But I want to [make] clear that Undersecretary Fortunato de la Peña had nothing to do with this," Orijola told INQ7.net in a telephone interview. In a letter addressed to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the United DOST Employees Association (Unidea) endorsed De la Peña as a replacement for Secretary Estrella Alabastro in case she decides to step down and retire this year. "I know De la Peña and he had nothing to do with this. He's a good man and that's the reason why the union endorsed him. He's really an asset to the DOST and to the [First] Family. The union has clarified their statements anyway. So the issue should no longer be dragged on. They [the union] are entitled to their opinion, but they should put a closure on this," she continued. She believed that the union leader Lita Suerte-Felipe had the right to vent her opinions about Alabastro and her performance in the past four years. "I find her very courageous to have come out. Nevertheless, I didn't say that they did the right thing," she said. "For those people who are making a big thing about this, they should stop commenting on the issue." The DOST official said that De la Peña remains supportive of Alabastro and "would never cause the division in the department." "I hope people will stop talking about this since it is causing division in the agency. The longer we discuss this, more people are getting hurt," Assistant Secretary Orijola said. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Alabastro as Secretary of DOST in 2001. She is set to retire on February 19, 2006. Unidea president Suerte-Felipe told INQ7.net last week that Alabastro should consider stepping down, as she is due for mandatory retirement. "We really want the Secretary to retire. She is due for mandatory retirement. This is probably the best time to step down," she said. In a later statement sent to INQ7.net, Unidea clarified that the union was just recommending De la Peña to take the place of Alabastro upon her retirement to avoid a leadership vacuum once she leaves the office. "This will help to ensure that someone whom they believe is qualified and more familiar with the organization and its various programs and concerns, is appointed. Unidea feels that this is the opportune time to make such recommendation considering that Sec. Alabastro will be reaching the retire-able age of 65 on February 19, 2006," added the statement signed by Suerte-Felipe. Alabastro maintained in a previous interview however that, "If the president says that Secretary should go, I'll be very willing to step down. It is up to the President to say that." In a letter sent to the Office of President on February 2, 2006, Unidea asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to consider appointing Fortunato De La Peña as replacement for Alabastro. In a copy obtained by INQ7.net, the letter said De La Peña's appointment would "boost the morale of both our employees and officers." A copy of the letter was sent to the Presidential search committee chairperson, Bernardino Abes, and the chairman of the Senate and House of Representative committees on science and technology. But Alabastro pointed out that while Presidential appointees like justice secretary Raul Gonzales and foreign affairs secretary Albert Romulo are "retire-able," they continue to serve the President. -INQ7.net.