Midnight

by Lito Banayo
from MALAYA

A friend sent me a partial listing of supposed “midnight” appointees of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Some had to be filled up simply because the offices were vacated, and therefore an appointment in “acting” capacity was required by law. The better option was to name an officer-in-charge (OIC) from any of the undersecretaries or those of lower management rank.

Jesli Lapus was moved from DECS to DTI on March 8, 2010, because Peter Favila who used to be Trade secretary wanted a cushy retirement job as member of the Monetary Board. GMA had to press my good friend Raul Boncan to retire earlier, “for reasons of health”, so as to give way to the desires of Peter. To replace Jesli at DECS, she resurrected Mona Valisno from retirement and gave her cherished dream of being a line cabinet secretary, at last. Because Raul Gonzalez resigned to run for mayor of Iloilo (and lost), Raoul Victorino of Pasig was likewise resurrected from retirement as a justice of the Court of Appeals, among other positions held in a long career in government, to become Presidential Legal Counsel. When the post of Executive Secretary which Ed Ermita gave up to run for his old seat in Congress representing the first district of Batangas (which he too, lost), Leandro Mendoza had to vacate DOTC and move in to the palace beside the stinking river. Anneli Lontoc was named OIC, and because she was an undersecretary, GMA named Art Lomibao to replace her as undersecretary, really quite unnecessary because there are a host of Usec’s in DOTC, far more than the Administrative Code provides. “Promoting” Lomibao to Usec meant he had to give up juicy LTO, and Bert Suansing, a performer really, was trotted off LTFRB and returned to LTO. Just a game of musical chairs. What was the music? Something retro, perhaps?

Just in the nick of time, Gabby Claudio, who served her long as Political Adviser, was appointed to head the board of MWSS, supposedly one with a fixed term. His appointment papers were signed March 9, a day before the constitutional ban, yet released just before Semana Santa. Erstwhile health honcho Francisco Duque was earlier named to the Civil Service Commission, with a fixed seven-year term. In midnight fashion, the Commission on Appointments approved his new posting, even if he is not a “lawyer” which was the lame reason given by the same CA for rejecting Ricardo Saludo’s earlier appointment. Will wonders never cease?

TESDA’s Alberto Syjuco went back to his wife’s native Iloilo, after sensing certain defeat if he were to run for senator, and won as congressman of it’s second district. So to replace him at TESDA, an agency under DOLE which was queerly and quizzically elevated by his Dona to “cabinet” rank, she named a Pastor Guiao, likely a cabalen. Foreign Affairs Usec Esteban Conejos was mysteriously appointed permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, after one of Claudio Teehankee’s sons resigned. But the Foreign Affairs career officers raised a howl, and the CA, as far as I know, sat on Conejos’ confirmation. So Conejos of Leyte is still in Manila, awaiting his fate under a new administration which hopefully will put Bert Romulo, the DFA boss, to pasture after so many long years in government service. The foreign affairs portfolio should be given to one who could energetically push for more foreign interest, and investments, in Philippines, Inc. Another howl greeted the midnight appointment of Alfonso Yuchengco as ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany. The good old man is well, too old at age 87. Frank Benedicto of Cebu who has moved from post to post through several presidencies starting with Tita Cory, has been named to the premier post of ambassador to China. Congressman Tony Cuenco, also from Cebu, was named in midnight fashion as ambassador to Italy, but his once fellows in Congress failed to confirm him. Libran Cabactulan, a career foreign service ambassador, was named to replace Hilario Davide as United Nations ambassador, after Davide decided to resign and campaign for his son Jun-Jun, who lost as governor of Cebu in the hands of Gwendolyn Garcia.

Deemed hilarious was the sudden appointment, again during the wee hours, of Anita Carpon, the Dona’s favourite manicurist, as trustee of the Pag-Ibig housing fund, which carries with it a fixed term of 2 years, at a monthly compensation of a little over a hundred thousand pesos. As far as I have learned, she has not taken up the post. Maybe she earns more than a hundred thousand cutting and polishing nails of the rich and famous. If she could trim the dainty nails of a former president, and she never shouted “Aray!”, her credentials should be good enough for her hundreds of cronies’ wives and mistresses. Armando Macapagal, Malacanang Park gardener, was promoted to deputy of the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC) which has jurisdiction over Luneta Park. His credentials are fine enough, a gardener for a park maintenance job, except why in heaven’s name do we need deputies and assistants? One of those queer things about a bureaucracy which has vice-presidents without tasks, and assistants waiting only for the demise of the head honchos.

The music on her mind? Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns”, perhaps.

Jess Dureza, the former press secretary who openly wished, in prayers at that, that his Dona Gloria would reign “beyond 2010”, has been rewarded as chair of the newly-created Mindanao Development Authority with a fixed term of six long years, almost the life of the regime of her successor in office. It pays to pander, never mind if the whole country ridicules you for it. And Al Cusi was moved from NAIA to head the also newly-created (by law) Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, which merged the former ATO with the former CAA, a most powerful aviation body in charge of air rights and provincial airports, to head the same for a term of four years.

Pati naman Dangerous Drugs Board at Board of Pardons and Parole hindi pinalagpas. Vice-Chair of DDB also appointed on the same day (March 9 if Malacanang records are to be trusted) is a certain Rommel Garcia, with a six-year term, and to the Board of Parole a certain Natividad Dizon, also for six years (is Tony Sanchez’ parole upcoming, like Romy Jalosjos under a predecessor’s watch?)

Octogenarian Larry Henares, papa Dadong’s NEC head (predecessor of NEDA) accepted a midnight four year-term as chair of the National Museum. Well, relics and antiquities are perhaps best cared for by the aged. And with him, a certain Jeremy Barns for director of the museum. And the trusted man of the First Gentleman, the assistant Ombudsman, Mark Jalandoni, has been appointed Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon for a fixed term of seven years, to serve under the FG’s classmate and favourite, Merceditas Gutierrez, for what she claims is a term that will end only on October of 2012.

There have been midnight appointments to the Judiciary as well. As soon as she issued a warrant of arrest for Senator Ping Lacson, the First Couple’s most hated, Manila RTC Judge Myra Garcia Fernandez was appointed to the Court of Appeals, in “kaliwaan” fashion. Along with Nina Valenzuela, Eduardo Peralta Jr., Ramon Paul Hernando, all newly-minted in the cloak of nightfall, associate justices. As if the CA would not function if there were a few vacancies left to the new president to appoint. And when a newly-appointed presiding justice died, so instant was his replacement as well! And in the Sandiganbayan, Justice Maria Cristina Cornejo was rushed into appointment. Wendell Barrera-Sulit was named Special Prosecutor of the Ombudsman, also for a fixed term of seven years.

Ten regional trial courts were instantly filled up with new appointees, also on March 9. Basta’t may butas, tinapalan!

Mark Lapid was PTA general manager after Dean Barbers served his term. Meanwhile, the new Tourism Policy Act of 2009, RA 9593 was enacted. And with the Implementing Rules and Regulations rushed, the new Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority was created and the Philippine Tourism Authority abolished. In midnight fashion as well, Lapid was named to head the TIEZA for the next six years. Not content with that, GMA had to name her physical fitness instructress and classmate, Cynthia Carreon, also for six years, to head the marketing arm of tourism, the Tourism Promotions Board. And Michael Kho, for the last nine years head of Duty Free Philippines, was re-appointed, this time for another six years, to the same newly re-organized corporation. Wow, it really pays to follow the boss, whoever it was, or is, whether Dick Gordon or Lucio Lao Co, or Butch Pichay, or El Esposo Fabuloso, eh?

And the latest pronouncement from Malacanang has to do with the nation’s third largest revenue generator, after BIR and Customs, and that is — gaming! Apparently, she also signed on March 9 (really?) but announced only the other day, the re-appointment of Efraim Genuino as Pagcor Chair and CEO, along with four other directors of the board, for another year. You see, the charter of this gaming corporation, created by Presidential Decree 1869, provides that “board members should serve for a term of one year until his or her successor shall have been duly appointed and qualified.”

Genuino was appointed chair and CEO right after Dona Gloria y Don Miguel took over Malacanang on January 22, 2010, among the very first of her appointees after usurping power from Joseph Estrada. It should be interesting to see if indeed, “as provided for by law”, Efraim has nine annual appointment papers all duly signed and authenticated (Yes, Virginia, he has been there continuously). For the enabling law provides that directors shall serve for one year or “until his or her successor shall have been duly appointed and qualified”. Which means that even if GMA did not re-appoint her favourite Genuino and cabal on March 9, as alleged, they could serve in the same “until…successors shall have been duly appointed”… by the new appointing authority, Benigno S. Aquino, who shall take over the presidency by noon of June 30, 2010.

Why then did she have to re-appoint these characters, likely not in midnight fashion but in ante-dated manner (why announce it only now, if the appointments were made on March 9)? Was it pambabastos? Was it to cover up certain tracks? Was it to give her coven in Pagcor time to urgently clean up the books? Was it to forge some more midnight deals? Or all of the above?

Up to the very end, she will not gracefully ride into the sunset. “In the lamplight, the withered leaves collect at my feet…” says the hauntingly beautiful song from Cats, entitled “Memory” which begins with the word “midnight”. All in stealth, very apropos.

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Postscript: While writing this article, I heard that Pagcor’s Genuino declared over radio that he would follow whatever the incoming president decides insofar as his fate is concerned. Hindi naman daw siya mag-kakapit-tuko, probably reminded about the fate of one Publio Tibi Jr., who chained himself to his executive chair at the Philippine National Railways and had to be physically dragged out by then MOTC minister Hernando B. Perez, Jr., Cory’s first appointee to the transport and communications department.

And then a friend who used to work in Pagcor during the time of Alice Reyes, sent a text message saying that one of the perks of a Pagcor chair is having “free” Ermenegildo Zegna suits as much as he liked. On the TV news program, Genuino indeed looked natty in a fabulously expensive suit. Oh well. The guy dresses with taste, unlike others in Gloria’s coven who buy Mongkok ties.

Methinks Pres. Noynoy, a simple man with an almost Spartan lifestyle, should inaugurate a new dress code for all public servants. That except for very special occasions or official travels abroad, the new pubic servant should wear simple short-sleeved polo barongs, not necessarily a-la-jacket like Marcos and his Bong-bong, and not expensive suits with silk cravats or pina and silk cocoon barongs. Yes, even in cabinet meetings. After all, they are servants of the people, right?

Be simple. In Israel, parliamentarians come to “august” chambers in short-sleeved white shirts. As in Singapore. And these are highly-paid public servants who do not have to resort to graft for perks like nice suits.

But en las Islas Filipinas, ladrones, como monos, have to parade themselves in vestidos de oro. (There is a saying in Castillian that translates: A monkey, though dressed up in gold, is a monkey nonetheless).

And while we’re at this, should not the new Executive Secretary come June 30, 2010, Atty. Paquito N. Ochoa Jr., another simple man with simple lifestyle, also clarify by administrative order, official protocol on how public officials ought to be addressed? In this country, everyone and his uncle who happens to be appointed or elected to as lowliest office as available, appropriates the title “Honourable” to his name. Yes Virginia, even a kagawad is the Hon. so-and-so. What a country, indeed!

(banayo_at@yahoo.com)