Still fresh from stepping down as the country's top military commander, newly retired Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gilbert Gapay has expressed readiness to take on a new job after President Duterte offered him another government post.
"I will think about it really hard. I will, of course, take on another position. Whatever that will be, I will take my time thining about it," Gapay said on Thursday night, February 4, after his retirement ceremony.
Duterte, who led the change of command and retirement ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, offered Gapay to be the administrator of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) or be part of the Department of National Defense (DND).
"Sir, after tonight, you might want... you might opt to take the MWSS vacated by Gen. Salamat or you might also choose to be with your home ground, the DND," Duterte said in his speech.
Gapay had served as the AFP chief for six months and five days before he officially turned over his badge upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 for uniformed personnel.
He was replaced by Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, a Medal of Valor awardee.
But with Duterte's offer, Gapay said he feels that he has still a lot left in his tank.
He also downplayed criticisms about the penchant of the President to appoint military men in his Cabinet.
"As long as you deliver, you put your heart in it, it doesn't matter if your from the military or from another sector," he said.
"It's not where you come from but what you can do and what you can deliver," he noted.
Prior to Gapay, five of the past seven AFP chiefs who served under the administration of Duterte were appointed in different government posts.
They are retired generals Ricardo Visaya, who is now serving as the administrator of the National Irrigation Authority (NIA); Eduardo Ano, who is the current secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG); Rey Leonardo Guerrero, the commissioner of the Bureau of Customs (BOC); Carlito Galvez Jr., the secretary of the Office of the Peace, Reconciliation and Unity formerly known as OPAPP; and Benjamin Madrigal Jr., the administrator of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).