CA panel endorses confirmation of DOTr chief Bautista's appointment

A Commission on Appointments committee endorsed on Tuesday, after two hearings, the confirmation of the ad interim appointment of Jaime Bautista as secretary of the Department of Transportation.
 
Last week, the CA committee on transportation suspended the hearing on Bautista's appointment due to time constraints.
 
Before moving for the approval of the appointment at the committee level, CA chairman and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri vouched for Bautista's competence.
 
"Here's a fellow that doesn't need to go through the learning curve. Even when he is sleeping, he thinks of the transport problem of the country and we need him right now because of the traffic jams, because of the traffic congestion because of the Christmas season. We need him to focus on his job," Zubiri said.
 
"If I may, majority leader, do the honor of moving for the approval [at the] committee level for the ad interim appointment of our distinguished gentleman from the transport sector, Secretary Jimmy Bautista," he added.
 
The motion was duly seconded by other members of the panel.
 
During the hearing, Bautista was asked by the members of the CA panel about the DOTr's direction with regard to the distribution of fuel subsidies and plans for the country's airports and ports, among others.
 
Bautista, former president and chief operating officer of Philippine Airlines, was appointed by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. last June.  — VBL, GMA Integrated News