An official of the Bayan Muna in Central Visayas said the decision to deny the appointment of Social Work Secretary Judy Taguiwalo was anti-poor.
Jaime Paglinawan said that Taguiwalo is among the very few government officials who never figured in corruption practices while serving government.
Paglinawan expressed fear that Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, another member of the National Democratic Front (NDF), will suffer the same fate as Taguiwalo when the Commission on Appointments again discusses the issue on his appointment.
Several senators have also expressed dismay on the CA’s rejection of Taguiwalo’s appointment as a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) secretary.
In his speech at plenary, Senator Ralph Recto said that Taguiwalo should not be dismissed as one of the “spoken leftists” in the Cabinet but should be remembered of her proven track record in public service even before she joined the government.
“She’s not there to represent one color in Digong’s rainbow Cabinet. She’s there to serve all the colors of the tapestry of our democracy. She represents all of us, all our dreams, all our aspirations for our nation, our people and our children,” he added.
The senator said Taguiwalo brought a “fresh perspective” in the DSWD, which was not treating poverty’s symptoms but its roots.
Senator Loren Legarda, who also voted for Taguiwalo’s confirmation, said the outgoing secretary was a “no-nonsense” and hardworking government worker.
“She is a hardworking person with integrity and I had hoped we could have her in the Cabinet because, as Senator Recto said, she’s a breath of fresh
air in the Cabinet,” Legarda said.
Legarda said Taguiwalo tried to straighten the process of implementing DSWD’s many programs.