Shalani says many seeking her endorsement for government posts

MANILA, Philippines - Re-elected Councilor Shalani Soledad of Valenzuela City confirmed yesterday that some people have approached her to seek favors from president-elect Benigno Aquino III or get appointments to government posts.

“A lot of people are seeking my endorsement for certain government post but I always tell them I will not make any recommendation for any government position,” she told The STAR during an interview at the Valenzuela City Hall.

Soledad said that she turned down their requests and told them that her priority is to help her constituents in Valenzuela.

Soledad said that she is leaving the selection of applicants for vacant government positions to the search committee created by Aquino.

At least 50,000 rank and file positions and more than 4,000 government executive posts are expected to be vacant when President Arroyo’s term ends on June 30.

The large number of vacancies in the government has prompted people to line up to apply for government jobs at the Aquino house on Times Street in Quezon City.

Soledad said she would first respond to the problems facing her constituents in the Second District of Valenzuela City, where she was re-elected as number one councilor in the last elections.

“I have some unfinished (work) in Valenzuela City that I need to attend to,” Soledad said, adding that she is more concerned with the delivery of basic health services at the grassroots level and livelihood programs.

Soledad is one of the political leaders in the Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela (Camanava) area.

Aside from Soledad, the other Camanava leaders who have close personal and political ties with Aquino are Malabon Vice Mayor Lenlen Oreta, the president’s cousin; Liberal Party leaders Caloocan City Mayor Recom Echiverre and his vice mayor Edgar Erice.

Meanwhile, tourism industry stakeholders have asked President Aquino III to appoint as tourism secretary lawyer Andy Bautista, president of Shang Properties Inc., the development arm of the Kuok Group in the Philippines and owner of the Shangri-La chain of hotels in the country.

Bautista is also the dean of the Far Eastern University College of Law.

In an open letter to Aquino dated June 16, the Philippine Hotel Federation, Federation of Tourism Industries of the Philippines, Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines, Philippine International Convention Center and the Philippine Association of Convention and Exhibition Organizers said Bautista is the most qualified person to head the Department of Tourism.

“His academic achievements, experience and track record as a manager speak loudly of his qualification to lead the Department of Tourism. We firmly believe that Bautista is the person for the job, especially given the circumstances of the position and the times,” the groups said.

“We believe the appointment of the next Tourism secretary is critical, because he must be someone who understands the dynamics of the industry and has the corresponding experience as an executive in an institution closely, if not directly, related to the industry,” they said.

Bautista also writes a weekly column for The STAR. He is the brother of Liberal Party senatorial candidate Dr. Martin Bautista.

Sources said Bautista is one of the persons being considered as tourism secretary.

Others being considered for tourism secretary are musician Jim Paredes and television host Boy Abunda. Abunda has declined. Both Paredes and Abunda also write columns for The STAR.

Meanwhile, a pillar of the Liberal Party, former Senate president Jovy Salonga, has recommended to president-elect Aquino the appointment of former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. to be the secretary of Foreign Affairs.

“Professionally and ethically, Chief Justice Davide is best suited to head the Department of Foreign Affairs, as his name remains unsullied by graft and corruption issues, and allegations of pandering and obeisance to the Arroyo administration, even as he made a clean break with the discredited regime of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to support your candidacy, and the Liberal Party ticket in Cebu,” Salonga said.

Salonga told Aquino that Davide was supposedly instrumental in delivering a large margin of victory in the vote-rich province of Cebu, “to your victorious presidential campaign.”

“Chief Justice Davide, who resigned as Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations, worked tirelessly and unceasingly in support of the Noy-Mar tandem and the Liberal Party campaign,” Salonga said.

Davide’s son and namesake, Hilario III, ran under the LP but lost in his bid for Cebu governor in the last May 10 elections.

Salonga also cited Davide’s record as assemblyman in the Batasan Pambasa during the Marcos regime.

“As an assemblyman, Chief Justice Davide was the first minority leader of the Interim Batasang Pambansa and filed the most number of bills of national significance and resolutions to lift martial law. “He also sought legislative investigations, especially of cases involving graft and corruption and/or other irregularities in the government, and violations of human rights,” Salonga said.

Outgoing Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo is rumored to have a strong chance of being retained by Aquino.

Romulo had served as a Cabinet member in the administration of Aquino’s mother, President Corazon Aquino.

The incumbent DFA secretary had also expressed support for the presidential candidacy of Aquino III. – With Helen Flores, Rainier Allan Ronda