DAVAO CITY – Ignoring criticisms against his appointment of his defeated running mate as his chief of staff, President Aquino told reporters here Wednesday that Manuel “Mar” Roxas’ appointment would be announced in less than a fortnight.
“We are still fine-tuning, looking at every detail,” Mr. Aquino said.
Roxas’ impending appointment has drawn criticism mainly because his functions have not been fully defined.
The President, however, dismissed worries that putting Roxas in Malacañang would fan more troubles at the Palace.
No worries
“They don’t really think I would do anything that would cause confusion. That is why I am appointing him. We are delineating the functions of everyone so that there is no overlapping, where each one’s work complements one another’s,” he said at a press briefing following his speech before a Philippine Medical Association conference here Wednesday.
If anything, Roxas’ appointment will “avoid confusion [and] turf wars,” he said.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile has said that the role of Roxas as chief of staff, if not properly defined, could clash with that of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.
Senator Joker Arroyo suggested that it would be better if Mr. Aquino appointed Roxas as executive secretary to replace Ochoa.
Senator Ralph Recto said the reunion of Mr. Aquino and Roxas “should translate to more healthy and no-holds barred debates.”
Roxas’ insight
“His [Roxas’] inputs in crafting national policies would be valuable as he offers the chief executive wider choices of options that would be crucial in the decision-making process. Mar’s background as economist, legislator and Cabinet official would decisively enrich the doctrines of governance that is anchored on empowering the poor and cutting down excesses,” Recto said in a statement.
“The Cabinet should expect heightened competition of ideas, not of egos, in the days to come … Mar should be welcomed and what a welcome presence he would be in the Cabinet,” Recto added Jeffrey M. Tupas, Inquirer Mindanao