Cabinet’s ‘bad news’ trio named; new post for 1

President Benigno Aquino III may soon be able to throw his headache pills into the Pasig.

Three Cabinet members whom the President had complained about last week for supposedly giving him bad news about their departments without offering him ready solutions were identified by a Palace source on Thursday.

They are Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles and Presidential Political Adviser Ronaldo Llamas, according to the Malacañang official, who asked not to be identified because the official has no authority to speak to the media about the issue.

Reached for comment, Lim said briefly: “Sorry I am abroad and cannot comment on something I have no personal knowledge of.”

Deles sounded surprised when contacted by phone. She said she was not aware that she was one of the three officials the President was referring to, although they do discuss problems regarding her office.

Llamas could not be reached for comment.

Marking his one year in office on Thursday, Mr. Aquino said he was generally satisfied with his Cabinet—except for a Cabinet member whom he plans to talk to regarding his performance.

“I still have to talk to one more and if we can’t come up with an understanding, I think I might give him another assignment,” Mr. Aquino said.

Hanging by a thread

The President spoke to reporters after signing into law a measure postponing the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to May 2013, synchronizing them with the midterm polls. The ARMM elections were originally set for next month.

The President did not name the official whose job seemed to be hanging by a thread, only reiterating that the official held a Cabinet rank position.

He made the statement when asked if he intended to replace any of his Cabinet members following his complaint last week about three officials who he said tended to give him bad news.

At the anniversary of the Department of Public Works and Highways last week, when he mentioned his problems with the “bad news” trio, Mr. Aquino pointed to what he called the good performance of Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson and Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said he did not know who was the Cabinet official in peril of being reassigned elsewhere.

‘Mostly satisfied’

Mr. Aquino told reporters that “for the most part” he was “very, very satisfied” with most of his Cabinet.

“A lot of them have been really self-motivating and self-actualizing,” he said.

Mr. Aquino cited Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman who he said he was sure was already taking charge of disaster operations even before he would ask about them.

He also mentioned Science and Technology Undersecretary Graciano Yumul who he said he could rely on when it came to accurate weather forecasting.

Economic team

Mr. Aquino also praised what he said was the good performance of his economic team, whom he credited for the several upgrades that the country had received from credit rating agencies.

He also lauded the national police for doing a good job in solving crimes in the country.

“So I am really happy with them,” he said of his Cabinet.

The President also said he hoped he and his Cabinet would be able to provide better performance results now that his administration was on its second year in office.