[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Rejection ‘not a surprise’ – Judy Taguiwalo ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
Thursday, August 17, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_image src=’http://www.panaynews.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/nation-taguiwalo-reject-1030×679.jpg’ attachment=’114268′ attachment_size=’large’ align=’center’ styling=” hover=” link=” target=” caption=” font_size=” appearance=” overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ animation=’no-animation’][/av_image]
[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=”]
MANILA – Judy Taguiwalo was not exactly surprised that the Commission on Appointments rejected yesterday her appointment as Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) secretary.
The commission had to make that decision, she said.
It reached the required majority vote of 13 to reject the appointment, Rep. Joel Almario (Davao Oriental) said during the plenary session.
“Hindi naman ako nagulat dahil alam ko, at the end of the day, may decision na gagawin,” Taguiwalo said after the plenary.
Her link to the Left and her opposition to the pork barrel and the tax reform package could be factors to the rejection of her appointment, she said.
“Conjecture ko lang iyan,” said Taguiwalo. “Ano pa naman ang hanapin sa akin? Hindi naman ako nagnakaw ng pera.”
Taguiwalo said they did their best to deliver services and programs early, and treated and provided help to beneficiaries fairly and equally regardless of party affiliation.
“I have served the people well,” she said. “I gave my all, and I am proud to say that my integrity remains intact. Isang karangalan ang makapaglingkod sa bayan bilang DSWD secretary kahit sa maikling panahon.”
The Senate contingent of the Liberal Party – comprising Francis Pangilinan, Ralph Recto, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, and Minority Leader Franklin Drilon – voted in favor of Taguiwalo’s confirmation, Pangilinan said.
“The Duterte administration lost a committed Cabinet official,” the opposition party said in a statement.
“In the 14 months that (she) was at the helm of the DSWD, we have seen her continue the Aquino administration’s successful conditional cash transfer (program), which benefitted 4.4 million Filipino families,” it added.
Recto (Senate president pro tempore), Loren Legarda, Francis Pangilinan, and Juan Miguel Zubiri stood up on the floor to express support to Taguiwalo.
“She (Taguiwalo) represents all of us, all our dreams, all our aspirations for our nation, our people, and our children,” Recto said. “She personifies that elusive political ideal that persons of different persuasions can come together for the common good.”
Juan Edgardo Angara, meanwhile, recognized Taguiwalo’s uncompromised integrity and compassion for the poor.
“Iyon talaga ang natatangi niyang kwalipikasyon para umupo bilang secretary ng [DSWD],” said Angara. “Sana po iyong susunod sa kanya ay ganoon din po ang kwalipikasyon.”/PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
