THE Commission on Appointments yesterday confirmed the appointments of Sec. Enrique Manalo to the Department of Foreign Affairs, Sec. Amenah Pangandaman to the Department of Budget and Management, and lawyer Nesauro Firme as the academe’s representative to the Justice and Judicial Bar Council of the Supreme Court.
The CA was also supposed to deliberate on the appointments of Public Works and Highways Sec. Manuel Bonoan and Social Welfare Sec. Erwin Tulfo but these were deferred due to lack of time. The Senate and House of Representatives, whose select members comprise the CA, will go on a break from Sept. 30 to Nov. 6.
The confirmation of Bonoan and Tulfo will be tackled when Congress resumes sessions on November 7.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said the CA will limit the deliberation of Cabinet appointees to two a day so they will have enough time to ask questions and confirm them on the plenary.
Zubiri also said appointees who have not been confirmed in time will have to seek reappointment by the President “as they would all be considered bypassed.”
Manalo assured that the DFA, under his watch, will live up to President Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation speech that the government would “not give up even an inch of its territory” amid the incursions of China on territories claimed by the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea.
Manalo said the DFA will “challenge” any country’s actions claiming Philippine territory.
“We will challenge any claim by any foreign power of any part of our territory,” Manalo said in response to the questioning of Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
On treaties entered into by the Philippines with other countries, including the United States, Manalo said they “should always be constantly updated especially nowadays,” including the Mutual Defense Treaty with the US, to adapt with the “changing geopolitical conditions as well changes in technology and approaches.”
Manalo was also asked for his opinion on why China would wish the Philippines to prevent “revisiting” the Philippine-US treaty, by requesting the DFA “Please do not touch the MDT” and “Leave it as it is.”
Manalo said: “That’s precisely what we are doing. So, we just note whatever statements they make.”
Manalo also said the DFA will assure other countries that the Philippines is complying with human rights treaties amid violations alleged by countries from the European Union and some western states against the Duterte administration.
He said he will attend the UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva next week where he will guarantee that the country is abiding with human rights treaties.
He said the country presently has a human rights program that is being run with the supervision of the UN resident coordinator which also involves the US government and the UN system.
Aside from Manalo, the CA also confirmed the appointments of 23 ambassadors and officers of the DFA.
Pangandaman said she is leaving the fate of the Procurement Service of the DBM to lawmakers.
Sen. Cynthia Villar said she is in favor of the abolition of the PS-DBM since many government offices “park” their funds with the agency, making it appear the budget has been disbursed.
“You should solve that permanently…I don’t believe na magbabago pa ‘yang PITC (Philippine International Trading Corporation) at PS-DBM (I don’t believe that the PITC and PS-DBM will ever change),” Villar said.
Pangandaman said the DBM will stop the practice of allowing government agencies to “park” their budget with the PS-DBM.
The Senate yesterday started its session at around 5:30 p.m., two-and-a-half hours later than its usual schedule.
