Why Binay was not invited to ‘special’ Cabinet meeting

Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay arrives at Sta. Cruz Covered Court, Cogeo, Antipolo, Rizal on Wednesday. Binay distributes wheelchairs to senior citizens. INQUIRER PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Why was Vice President Jejomar Binay absent at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting?

Because his presence was not required.

Malacañang described Thursday’s meeting to review government’s first-semester performance as a “special Cabinet meeting” and not a regular one that required the presence of other officials such as the Vice President.

“As it is a special, not a regular, Cabinet meeting, not all Cabinet members were required to attend,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a separate statement that Thursday’s meeting was a continuation of last week’s Cabinet meeting where President Aquino directed his lieutenants to come up with measures to ensure higher economic growth for the next

quarter.

According to Coloma, those who were not required to attend the special Cabinet meeting on Thursday were Luwalhati Antonino of the Mindanao Development Authority, Joel Rocamora of the National Anti-Poverty Commission, Manuel Mamba of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia, Yasmin Lao of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda and Ronald Llamas of the Office of the Political Adviser.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin was not at the meeting as well.

Coloma said National Housing Authority General Manager Chito Cruz was at the meeting to update the President and the Cabinet on the housing programs, including the one for survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda.”

Coloma said the special meeting called by President Aquino was for the Cabinet review of the first-semester performance, particularly on “accelerating implementation of all priority development and reform programs.”

The country’s first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth was at 5.2 percent, down from the 6.6 GDP growth in the last quarter of 2014.

Experts have said that the government’s underspending resulted in the slow growth rate.