Agri secretary up for CA confirmation
THE name of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is among the officials submitted in the Commission on Appointments for confirmation.
Laurel and Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa are on top of the new batch of 57 presidential appointees – mostly foreign service officers – awaiting their confirmation hearings.
The 25-member CA is empowered by the Constitution to vet the competence, fitness, and integrity of key presidential appointees, including Cabinet members, and to approve or disapprove them.
“We would urge the public to submit to the CA Secretariat any information, written report, or sworn/notarized complaints or oppositions to the appointees,” Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said.
Pimentel’s remarks came a day after fisherfolk grouped under the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) challenged Laurel to withdraw the Frabelle Group of Companies’ 944-hectare reclamation project in Bacoor Bay, a large inlet of southeastern Manila Bay.
Frabelle is carrying out the massive reclamation project in joint venture with the Bacoor City government and Diamond Export Corp.
Pimentel said he expects the CA committees concerned to schedule their respective confirmation hearings soon, “considering that we only have a few session days left before Congress goes on recess for the Christmas holidays.”
Congress is set to adjourn for the holidays on Dec. 16 and will resume session on January 22, 2024.
Under CA rules, officials that fail to obtain the commission’s consent by the time Congress adjourns will have to be reappointed by Malacañang.
Laurel ran the family-owned Frabelle Group of Companies before he was appointed by the President to head the Department of Agriculture on Nov. 5.
The Frabelle Group of Companies holds diversified business through Frabelle Fishing Corp., Frabelle Cold Storage Corp., Westpac Meat Processing Corp., Eoana Canning and Food Processing Corp., Frabelle Shipyard Corp., and Frabelle Properties Corp.
Besides Laurel and Herbosa, Pimentel said 55 newly appointed officers at the Department of Foreign Affairs are pending confirmation.
