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Malacañang claimed Wednesday it had nothing to do with the alleged
plot to oust Senate President Manuel Villar from his post, pointing
out it respects the independence of the branches of the government.
What the Palace is focusing on is the reduction
of poverty all over the country.
“That was just [the] allegation [and] the
palace is not interfering in the activities of [the] legislature.
But you know they are many alignments in the Senate that such issues
may arise. Maybe Senator [Panfilo] Lacson may have said that but
[that] is only his perception. But I know he knows that the Palace
has nothing to do with the alleged ouster move,” Ermita said.
Asked if a possible change in the Senate’s
leadership will affect the priority bills being pushed by the
Palace, Ermita said the priorities of Congress are being discussed
in Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac).
“Those are being tackled in Ledac and if
there’s an agreement we try to make it happen. We expect both
houses of Congress to live by their commitment in the Ledac,” he
said.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Anthony Golez
said President Gloria Arroyo would not waste her time plotting
Villar’s ouster since she has a lot of important things to do.
“The Palace is focusing on pro-poor programs
of the President especially health care, job promotion and
education,” he added.
In fact, President Arroyo issued another order
that will further streamline the departments and agencies that carry
out her National Social Welfare Program.
The President issued Administrative Order 232
that creates “a small group of visible frontline departments and
Palace agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and
Development, the Social Security System [SSS], the Department of
Labor and Employment to launch the National Social Welfare
Program.”
Romulo Neri, the SSS administrator, was
designated by the President to chair the group while Social Welfare
Secretary Esperanza Cabral was given the task to implement the
program.
Neri said during a press conference Wednesday
that they would start mobilization efforts soon, and that it’s not
all about the popularity of the President but the unhindered
delivery of enhanced social services.
He stressed that the participation of the
private sector in these social welfare initiatives was “limited”
as the “government’s resources were quite large compared to
other sectors.”
Before the issuance of AO 232-A, the
government’s social welfare programs were implemented
independently by various agencies. Neri said the Cabinet would meet
next week in Malacañang to formulate the policy statements and
define to what extent an agency’s participation will be in the
program based on the objectives of the national welfare program,
primarily the reduction of poverty, social protection and mitigating
economic pressures on households.
-- Angelo S. Samonte
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