Salceda to join Duterte’s economic team, if asked

LEGAZPI CITY—Outgoing Albay Gov. Joey Salceda is willing to join Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet if the incoming President offers him a job.

“I would love to join the economic team of Duterte,” said Salceda, the newly elected representative of Albay’s second district.

In one of his campaign sorties in Albay, Duterte announced he wanted Salceda, an economist, to head the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).

“If he asks me again to be the secretary of Neda, I will grab it,” Salceda said.

Two weeks before the elections, the Albay governor, a former leader of the Liberal Party (LP) in the province, bolted the administration party to support Sen. Grace Poe, an independent presidential candidate, instead of LP standard-bearer Mar Roxas.

Both Roxas and Poe had conceded defeat to Duterte and asked their respective supporters to unite behind the country’s new leader.

Salceda said he would give Duterte his full support so he can help the incoming President boost the country’s economy.

He is also open to working with Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo of the LP should she be proclaimed winner in the race for Vice President. Salceda had endorsed the vice presidential candidacy of Poe’s running mate, Sen. Francis Escudero.

Salceda said Duterte was his second choice for President.

Shift to federalism

“I will support [Duterte] and make sure that he will succeed in his ambitious plan for the country. [We can clearly see that] he has [committed himself to] an ambitious plan for us, starting with the shift to federal parliamentary system and [his promise to eliminate or lessen the impact of] criminality, corruption and drugs in three to six months,” he said.

Salceda said he would push for the construction of the Bicol International Airport at Barangay Alobo in Daraga town.

Priority bills

Among his priority bills in the incoming Congress are the conversion of Daraga town into a city and the improvement of the local transport system and the regional hospital in Albay.

Rep. Fernando Gonzalez, an LP member, also promised to support Duterte’s leadership, believing he is the right leader to push countryside development.

“I think [Duterte] knows the real problem of the countryside … the dire need to develop our rural [areas], where poverty comes from, [and the need] to develop our agriculture. Having firsthand experience [on these problems], perhaps he’ll be able to get this done,” Gonzalez said.  Michael B. Jaucian, Inquirer Southern Luzon