4 Cabinet execs, 4 envoys get CA nod

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Appointments has confirmed the nomination of four Cabinet secretaries and four ambassadors during the CA’s second to the last session for the year.

Confirmed in plenary yesterday were Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato dela Peña, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Rodolfo Salalima, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia and Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo.

Also confirmed were ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana, ambassador to Japan Jose Laurel V, ambassador to Nigeria Shirley Ho Vicario and ambassador to Kenya Uriel Norman Garibay.

The CA was supposed to take up the appointment of Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial but deferred this to next week. CA majority leader Rep. Rodolfo Albano III of Isabela cited lack of time as reason for the deferment.

He also said the opposition raised by Kabayan Rep. Harry Roque against the appointment of Ubial would have to be studied.

In his letter to the CA – coursed through Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III who serves as overall chairman of the body – Roque cited five reasons why Ubial should not be confirmed as health secretary.

Roque said Ubial has a propensity to lie to cover up her incompetence.

“She lied to the public when she declared that Zika virus is not endemic to the Philippines and that there were no cases yet of the viral infection here, only to be contradicted in the same breath by her subordinates in the Department of Health,” Roque said.

He said that Ubial has flipped-flopped on the P3-billion dengue vaccination program, at one point calling for its suspension but later on saying it should push through.

“These vaccines are very delicate, as they require a cold chain process. If mishandled, they could go to waste, especially if the warehouses to which they are withdrawn are not properly refrigerated. And there is no showing that the cold chain process has been properly executed for this purpose,” Roque said. – With Czeriza Valencia