Recto appointment an insult on VAT-burdened Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines - The appointment of former Sen. Ralph Recto to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is an added insult to Filipinos already burdened with his brainchild, the value-added taxes (VAT), militant workers said Thursday. In a radio interview, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) head Elmer Labog said that with Recto at the helm of NEDA, the government is likely to cook up new revenue-generating measures that will burden the people. "Ito nga ang author ng VAT, ibig sabihin mag-iisip uli yan ng ibang proyekto na aakyat kuno ng pinansya ng administrasyon at lalong pabigat sa mamamayang Pilipino (This guy is the author of the VAT law. At NEDA, we expect him to cook up new schemes that will raise funds for government but will be a heavy burden on Filipinos)," Labog said in an interview on dzXL radio. Labog said the appointment of the "father of VAT" is an added insult to Filipinos who are now coping with rising costs of fuel and food, which are covered by the VAT law. Recto, a defeated administration senatorial candidate, was named to the NEDA Wednesday - following the appointments of fellow losing administration senatoriables Vicente Sotto III to head the Dangerous Drugs Board and Michael Defensor to head the task force handling the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. "Talagang inaalaska ng Malacañang ang mga mamamayan (Malacañang is really insulting the Filipinos)," Labog said. Meanwhile, Black and White Movement spokeswoman Leah Navarro said the move is likely to incense former NEDA chief and incoming Social Security System head Romulo Neri. "Baka galit na naman si Neri dahil si Recto ginawang head ngayon. Yan ang gusto ni Neri, ayaw niya ng CHED o SSS (Neri must be fuming because Recto got the post he wanted)," Navarro said in a separate interview on dzXL. She said that while her group wants to give Recto a chance, he and his fellow political appointees "better be ready to work hard in their places." In Malacañang, however, Press Sec. and Presidential Spokesman Jesus Dureza appealed to critics to give Recto a chance to prove his worth. "Pagbigyan natin si Ralph Recto na makapag-prove otherwise sa speculation ng iba. Let's give him an opportunity, gagawin niya very transparent. Ang pangulo naman she chooses ang mga tao na tingin niya makapag-deliver sa kanyang mission in seeing to it this country moves on until the end of her term (Let's give Recto a chance to prove his critics wrong. He'll be transparent. Besides, the president chooses those who she thinks can deliver on her mission to make sure this country moves on until the end of her term)," Dureza said. "The bottom line is, it is the president who will benefit or suffer if he is not capable to do the job," he added. - GMANews.TV