Former Sen. Panfilo Lacson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – With Senator Panfilo Lacson officially named rehabilitation czar, he hits the ground running by attending his first Cabinet meeting.
Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma during a televised press conference in Malacañang Palace said Lacson will attend the Cabinet meeting with President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday 1:30 p.m.
Coloma said Lacson’s official appointment papers and a memorandum order on his task as rehabilitation czar was signed by the President last Friday.
The Secretary said Lacson will manage over-all rehabilitation efforts in affected areas, including Leyte, Samar, Cebu, Bohol, Negros, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, Iloilo and Palawan.
“[A section of the] memorandum order emphasizes that he can call on all the department and agencies concerned. And all of those departments are also directed by the President to provide all the support that is needed for him to be able to perform his function,” Coloma said.
He, however, clarified that the government structure remains the same, except for the addition of Lacson.
Coloma said the new secretary will be “given the leeway to propose the office organization structure he could work with.”
He also confirmed that Lacson recommended Danilo Antonio, chief operating officer of Eton Properties, as undersecretary to aid him in rehabilitation efforts.
Asked if such would result in large real estate companies entering Tacloban, Coloma said participation of the private sector in the rebuilding of typhoon-hit areas was among the options Lacson was eyeing.
“Nakipagpulong si Secretary Lacson at nakipagkonsulta sa mga stakeholder groups. At isa sa mga panukala ay partisipasyon ng private sector. Sa napakalaki pong programa ng rehabilitasyon hindi maiiwasan na hindi magkaroon ng involvement dito ang private sector,” he said.
(“Secretary Lacson met and consulted stakeholder groups. One of their proposals was to encourage the participation of the private sector. With such a huge rehabilitation program, it is inevitable that the private sector will have to be involved.”)
Coloma said there was nothing wrong in having someone from the private sector enter public office, as long as he was qualified and willing to serve.
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