The powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) bypassed today the appointments of 14 presidential appointees as Congress begins tomorrow a month-long recess.
Although the public hearings of their appointments were scheduled today, two CA committees had no time to determine the fitness of Manuel Manligas Bonoan to become Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary and Erwin Teshiba Tulfo to become Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) secretary.
The CA calendar was crowded.
But it had time to conduct the public hearings on the fitness of Amenah Flaminiano Pangandaman to be the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) secretary, Enrique Austria Manalo as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary along with 23 DFA diplomats; and Nesauro Hernandez Firme as representative of the academe, Justice and Bar Council and the Supreme Court.
Their appointments were confirmed by the bicameral body during its plenary session presided by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, concurrent CA chairman.
Zubiri later released today a list of those considered bypassed.
They are Victor Dayrit Rodriguez as Executive Secretary; Rose Beatrix L. Cruz-Angeles of Presidential Communications Operations Office; Raphael Perpetuo Mercado Flotilla, Department of Energy (DOE) secretary; Benjamin Estoista Diokno, Department of Finance (DOF) secretary; Jose Rizalino Larion Acuzar, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (HSURB) secretary; Ivan John Enrile Uy, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) secretary; Maria Susana Vasquez Ople, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) secretary; Renato Umali Solidum Jr., Department of Science and Technology (DICT) secretary; Alfredo Espinosa Pascual, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) secretary; Jaime Jimenez Bautista, Department of Transportation (DOTr) secretary; Arsenio Molina Balisacan, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) secretary; Jose Callangan Calida, Commission on Audit (COA) chairman for a term expiring on February 2, 2029, vice Rizalina Justol; and Nelson Java Cells as Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner for a term expiring on February 2, 2029, vice Aimee S. Torrefranca-Neri.
Rodriguez recently resigned as Executive Secretary.
Already confirmed by the CA were 11 presidential appointees.