Aquino will make the announcement as he prepares for his inauguration tomorrow as the country’s 15th president.
Outgoing Finance Secretary Margarito Teves said he met yesterday with Purisima to brief him on the economy but that the latter came as a member of the transition team and not as the next finance chief. But reliable sources confirmed that Purisima has accepted the finance portfolio.
Sanctuary silver: A special exhibit on the inauguration of His Excellency, Ferdinand E. Marcos, President of the New Republic of the Philippines, June 30, 1981 (Museum exhibits)
“We talked about the general situation of the fiscal sector. Basically, we talked about what needs to be done,” Teves said.
“The government has to return to fiscal consolidation and balance the budget by 2016,” Teves recalled having told Purisima.
Purisima was a member of the so-called Hyatt 10, comprising officials who bolted President Arroyo’s Cabinet at the height of the “Hello, Garci” controversy in 2005.
Teves said Purisima had also expressed interest in the Millennium Challenge Corp., a US government corporation working with developing countries.
Teves also said that Purisima has committed to review the recommendations of the current administration.
“I think he would like to give himself a chance together with the economic team to review our recommendations and come up with a new recommendation to the new president,” Teves said, referring to his discussions with Purisima.
“There are things that we need to do because we want to go back to the path of fiscal consolidation and balancing the budget in a few years, so we need more resources for us to be able to do that and to allow us to achieve that objective,” Teves said.
To address the widening budget gap, the Finance department is pressing the incoming administration to raise the value-added tax rate to 15 percent from the current 12 percent.
The budget deficit has widened to P162.1 billion or already above the first half deficit ceiling of P145 billion.
Purisima, who was appointed trade secretary in 2004 and later finance secretary in 2005, came from one of the country’s biggest auditing firms, Sycip, Gorres &; Velayo.
A close ally of Sen. Mar Roxas II, Purisima had played a major role in the campaign of the Aquino-Roxas tandem.
Inauguration preparations
The incoming president has finished writing his inaugural speech which, according to Manuel Quezon III, spokesman for the inaugural rites, would be direct to the point and would only take eight to 10 minutes to deliver.
Aquino had said he would stress in his speech the need for Filipinos to work together because he could not do things alone.
The next commander-in-chief also rehearsed for the departure honors ceremony at the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
This is part of the inauguration rites at Quirino Grandstand in Manila.
Quezon said the participants also had a dress rehearsal at the grandstand.
Aquino is scheduled to visit today the tombs of his parents, the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and former President Corazon Aquino, at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque.
After the inauguration, the President will convene his first Cabinet meeting after administering their oaths at Malacañang Palace.
Aquino has named Quezon City Administrator Paquito Ochoa as executive secretary, Corazon Soliman as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Teresita Deles as presidential adviser on peace process, and Edwin Lacierda as presidential spokesman.
The others who will reportedly be named to the Cabinet are Julia Abad as Presidential Management Staff (PMS) head; Makati Business Club executive director Alberto Lim as tourism chief; lawyer Kim Jacinto-Henares as Bureau of Internal Revenue commissioner; Lt. Gen. Voltaire Gazmin as defense secretary; and Commission on Human Rights chairperson Leila de Lima as justice secretary.
Aquino’s Cabinet members will also reportedly include former Education secretary Florencio Abad as budget secretary; Horacio Ramos as secretary of environment and natural resources department for one year after which defeated senatorial candidate Neric Acosta will take over; Alberto Romulo for foreign affairs; Jose Rene Almendras for energy; Jaime Aristotle Alip for agriculture, Guillermo Parayno as Bureau of Customs commissioner; and outgoing Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo for the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Romulo confirmed that Aquino has asked him to remain in his post while the De La Salle University said its president, Bro. Armin Luistro, has accepted Aquino’s offer for him to be education secretary.
Official Program Fourth Inauguration 1957 Inducting into Office Carlos
Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral had met with Aquino in his Times Street residence in Quezon City but there was no confirmation if she was retained.
The choices for labor secretary reportedly include former Integrated Bar of the Philippines president Jose Anselmo Cadiz and former labor chief Bienvenido Laguesma.
Meeting with AFP
Aquino also met with military officers yesterday at Camp Aguinaldo but military spokesman Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said the meeting focused on the preparations for the inaugural rites tomorrow.
“It was very short. He (Aquino) had the opportunity to meet with the senior military officers,” Burgos said in an ambush interview.
“It was just a rehearsal. The visit was just about the turnover ceremony. There were no problems during the rehearsals,” acting AFP chief of staff Lt. Gen. Nestor Ochoa told The STAR.
“He (Aquino) already knows the program. He is familiar with the rites. He just wants to be informed about the sequence of the program,” he added.
Respect his choice
Sen. Francis Escudero said the public should respect Aquino’s choices of Cabinet officials.
“Let us respect and accept the decision of the president-elect,” Escudero said.
Escudero swore in yesterday Makati Mayor JunJun Binay, son of vice president-elect Jejomar Binay. The senator had endorsed the elder Binay’s vice presidential bid.
He said Binay’s decision to decline Aquino’s offer of Cabinet posts was meant to give the new president a free hand in choosing members of his team.
“I respect the decision of vice president Binay that the president has a free hand to choose the members of his cabinet and there is a lot of things to do in his job as vice president,” Escudero said.
“I believe that they have a good relationship,” Escudero said, squelching speculations that Binay had a falling out with Aquino. - With Jose Rodel Clapano, Alexis Romero, and Rhodina Villanueva - By Aurea Calica
