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Thursday, July 24, 2008
Recto is new Neda chief
MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo named former senator Ralph Recto as the new director general of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).
Recto replaced Romulo Neri who has recently been appointed to the Social Security System (SSS) chief post.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the appointment of Recto, who authored revenue-related laws like Republic Act (RA) 8424 or the Comprehensive Tax Reform Law, RA 9337 or the Expanded Value-Added Tax Law, RA 9238 or the Excise Tax Law, and RA 9334 or the Sin Tax Law, among others, will be effective immediately.
Ermita said the appointment papers of Recto, which was signed July 10, was already transmitted to the Commission on Appointments.
He added that he sees no problem in Recto's taking over of Neda since acting Neda director general Augusto Santos is a career officer who would go back to his job as the agency's deputy director general.
"Why him (Recto)? My golly, he's qualified. I mean he's an economist for one thing," Ermita said.
According to him, Malacañang already expects negative reactions to Recto's appointment. He said this has been the practice of sorts whenever there are appointments made by the President.
"What is important there is we recognize that the President is the appointing authority provided for in the Constitution. The President alone will know the qualifications of those people she thinks could help her in governance," said Ermita.
Recto is the third defeated Team Unity (TU) senatorial bet to be appointed to government post after the one-year ban for the appointment of losing candidates lapsed in May.
The other two are former presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor who is now the chairman of the Presidential Task Force on the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 3 and former senator Vicente Sotto who was named Dangerous Drug Board chairman.
Asked if there will be other TU bets to be appointed soon, Ermita said "anything is possible," stressing that those who ran under the administration senatorial slate are all qualified.
Reports said former Surigao congressman Prospero Pichay is being eyed to head the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa), but Ermita said he still has no information about it.
Recto, for his part, said heading the Neda would be very challenging considering the current conditions in the world like the "global credit crunch, high fuel, rice and commodity prices."
"But I look forward to possibly working with the best and the brightest of government employees (of Neda). I also look forward to sharing ideas with former Neda director generals on a wide range of issues and hopefully work out a consensus with the opposition on strategic economic policies regarding economic threats and opportunities," he said.
Recto, who served as senator from 2001 to 2007, was the youngest elected member of the 9th Congress when he served as congressman of the fourth district of Batangas Province from 1999 to 2001.
Prior to entering politics, he was a member of the board of Sankleen from 1995 to 1999 and company president of Taking Care of Business Corporation since 1994 up to present.
Recto, who comes from a political family, is the grandson of former senator Claro Recto and the son of former assemblyman Rafael Recto. His bother Ricky Recto was also a former vice governor of Batangas, while his wife Vilma Santos-Recto is the incumbent governor of the province.
During his term as lawmaker, Recto authored the Comprehensive Tax Reform Law, the expanded VAT Law, the Lateral Attrition Law, the Sin Tax Law, the Excise Tax Law, the Court of Tax Appeals Law and the Retail Trade Liberalization Law.
He also sponsored the Special Economic Zone Law, the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act, the Amendments to the Special Economic Zone Law, the Regional Headquarters Law, the Philippine Overseas Shipping Law, the Domestic Shipping Development Act, the Special Purpose Vehicle Law, the Barangay Micro Business Enterprise Law, the Film Development Council and the Rent Control Law. (JMR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (July 24, 2008 issue)
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