Drilon rejects Bautista as DSWD chief

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon opposed President Duterte’s decision to appoint a former military officer to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), citing the agency’s important role in the delivery of basic government services.

Drilon said the administration of the agency should be left to career officials.

Duterte announced Army chief Lt. Gen. Rolando Bautista will become his next social welfare secretary.

“The President should reconsider his decision to appoint a retired military officer as DSWD secretary. The DSWD is a very sensitive and crucial social welfare agency,” Drilon told dzBB.

“We should not militarize the government. We should maintain the civilian nature of our bureaucracies,” he said.

While he acknowledges that it is a prerogative of the President to choose and appoint top government officials, Drilon said the DSWD plays a very important role in the government’s poverty alleviation program, citing the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program as a major program being implemented by the agency.

“I am certain there are those from the civilian sector who are equally, if not more qualified and competent, to hold government positions, particularly the DSWD,” he said. 

Drilon said at present, there are numerous retired military officers occupying key government posts, including former Armed Forces chiefs Roy Cimatu as environment secretary, Eduardo Año as interior secretary, and Ricardo Visaya as head of the National Irrigation Administration.

Other former military officials are also appointed to government posts such as Delfin Lorenzana as defense secretary and Danilo Lim and Alexander Balutan as chairman of Metropolitan Manila Develoment Authority and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, respectively.

Drilon said there are other government posts the President can offer to qualified military officers.

Other sectors also slammed the appointment of Bautista to head the DSWD.

Amihan national chair Zenaida Soriano said the appointment displays the transformation of the Duterte administration into a militarist regime.

The militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said the DSWD is a civilian post that is mandated to provide welfare assistance to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in society.