Tugade, Taguiwalo face rough sailing in CA

MANILA, Philippines - Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo are facing rough sailing in the Commission on Appointments (CA).

Sources at the House of Representatives told reporters yesterday that the two Cabinet members would have a hard time winning confirmation for their appointments: Tugade for his supposed lackluster performance and Taguiwalo for quarreling with congressmen over funds the latter allocated to their needy constituents through the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

No less than Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the Department of Transportation chief and his “conflicted” undersecretaries.

In one hearing of the House committee on transportation, Alvarez told Tugade that he should start delivering on promises President Duterte had made during the election campaign to address issues relating to traffic in Metro Manila and the lack of vehicle license plates and driver’s licenses.

Four months into the Duterte administration, the Speaker said he has not seen improvement in traffic in the metropolis, and new vehicle owners were still waiting for their license plates and drivers for their licenses.

As for Tugade’s underlings whom he accused of having conflict of interest, Alvarez said: “Let’s be frank and blunt about this: who are you working for, whose interest are you serving. We all know that private companies put their people in government to promote their interest.”

Like their House boss, members of the committee on transportation are disappointed with Tugade.

Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento, committee chairman, said Tugade and his officials are “confused” on what the traffic crisis is and consequently on what emergency powers they need to solve it.

“You have failed to define the scope of the crisis. It is a time-honored principle, even acknowledged by our courts, that the findings of administrative agencies are accorded great respect by reason of your special knowledge and expertise. Sorry to say this but sadly, on this particular instance, we hope for a better performance,” he said.

‘Unfit for the job’

A multi-sectoral coalition of civil society groups urged Duterte yesterday to replace Tugade, who they said is “unfit” for the job.

In a statement, Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement chairman Ruperto Cruz said instead of offering immediate solutions to traffic, Tugade was fixated on securing emergency powers that will allow him to forgo bidding for priority projects.

Cruz said Tugade has a questionable track record when he was still head of the Clark Development Corp.

“He has done irreversible damage to Clark. He has made several questionable deals that were disadvantageous to the government. He was also fond of putting confidentiality clauses in the lease agreement contracts entered by Clark locators and the CDC, barring the public from scrutinizing these agreements,” Cruz said.

Cruz warned the same thing might happen to the DOTr’s proposed projects that will be covered by the special powers.

No congressional funds in DSWD?

As for Taguiwalo, she has told congressmen that they have no funds in her department.

She has directed her social service workers to ignore referrals from congressmen, other politicians and members of the judiciary.

She referred to the outlawed Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in one encounter with congressmen, prompting an admonition from Davao del Norte Rep. Jose Mayo Almario.

PDAF was the P25-billion annual congressional pork barrel, which allocated P200 million for each senator and P70 million for each House member. The Supreme Court struck it down as unconstitutional in 2013.

“You should not refer here to the PDAF. That has been declared as unconstitutional and we are respecting and following the decision of the Supreme Court. PDAF no longer exists in the annual budget,” Almario told Taguiwalo.

Unfortunately for Taguiwalo, Almario is a member of the House contingent in the CA. In fact, he chairs the CA commit