Friday, December 13, 2013

LACSON told: ‘get moving’ Cabinet rank for rehab czar

Source: Malaya Business Insight
Noynoy-and-Ping-LacsonPRESIDENT Aquino has formally appointed former senator Panfilo Lacson as Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery with the primary task of unifying efforts of government and other agencies involved in rehabilitation of areas affected by typhoon “Yolanda.”
The President also appointed Danilo Antonio, chief operating officer of Eton Property Philippines, as undersecretary of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery to assist Lacson, said Herminio Coloma, head of the Presidential Communications Operations Office.
Lacson, who once served as PNP chief, will hold Cabinet rank.
Antonio is joining government for the first time. He has served as director of ACE Center for Entrepreneurship and Management Education Inc., as a faculty member of the Ateneo Graduate School and the Asian Institute of Management, as CEO of Land Excel Consulting (LEC), and as chairman of Canyon Cove Beach Club.
He was also among those who set up the real estate company Land Company (Landco).
Coloma said the appointments were signed by the President last December 6, the same day that Memorandum Order No. 62 was issued and signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.
The MO states that Lacson and his office would focus recovery and rehabilitation efforts in Yolanda-hit provinces particularly Samar, Leyte, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, Iloilo and Palawan.
Coloma said Lacson would act as the overall manager and coordinator of the rehabilitation, recovery, and reconstruction efforts of government departments, agencies and instrumentalities in the affected areas.
He is also tasked to coordinate with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and its member agencies, and consult with the concerned local government units in the formulation of plans and programs for the rehabilitation, recovery and development of the affected areas, including an over-all strategic vision and integrated short-term, medium-term and long-term programs, which shall be submitted to the President for approval.
Lacson’s job also includes proposing funding support for the implementation of plans and programs, and exercising oversight over government agencies with respect to the implementation of the plans and programs.
He may also call upon any department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the government, including government-owned or-controlled corporations (GOCCs), government financial institutions (GFIs), and local government units, and request non-government organizations, the private sector, and other entities for assistance as the circumstances and exigencies may require in carrying out his mandate. He may also engage the assistance of consultants, experts and professional advisors.
Under the MO, Lacson is directed to submit to the President status reports on the plans and programs as often as the President may require. All other departments, bureaus, offices, agencies or instrumentalities of government, including GOCCs and GFIs, are asked to fully cooperate with Lacson.

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