Commentary: Cabinet revamp at this time is unwise
By Nene A. Manzanares
Catarman, Northern Samar (21 February) -- Malacanang has denied rumors of impending Cabinet revamp. Some quarters however would not let these rumors die as reports are being circulated that former Senator Ralph Recto has been offered the Finance chief post.
Such rumors have been reinforced with the TV interview of Batangas Gov. Vilma Recto who said that there have been talks about her husband being offered a post and that her husband's expertise is on finances.
Cabinet revamp at this time is unwise. And even more unwise if the revamp starts with the economic team. It cannot be ignored nor belied that the country is performing well as far as the economy is concerned. Posting a 7.3 GDP growth is not a small matter especially as this figure only came about after 31 years.
Three decades of economic struggle is a feat only the strong and the determined can achieve. And the economic team of the administration deserves an accolade rather than threats of being sacked from their jobs in Malacanang.
Poison darts are aimed at the economic team because this is the very team which led the country out from the economic mess that we were in.
The analysis of Executive Secretary Ermita is something to think about. It is his belief that some people are trying to shake up the economic team as a way of destabilizing the administration and force the President to step down from her post.
He said some of the administration's detractors would like to weaken the economic team so that if one of them is sacked, it would be easier for them to recruit and convince the said official to join in the calls for the resignation of the President.
"They think they might succeed and it could very well start the signal. So they're starting with the economic team members who are behind the economic figures and the economic performance of our President, who's known to be a very good economist," Ermita added.
These detractors should stop and think and really think hard. A team already knows where our problem lie. And since they have already studied the economic environment of our country, they already know how to contain these problems. This could be the secret of the 7.3 GDP growth.
How could some of our countrymen think of shaking up the team? We cannot afford to fail in these trying times. The world is reeling from the economic slowdown of the United States. We cannot afford to be affected by this slowdown.(PIA-Northern Samar) [top]
