Taguiwalo’s CA rejection hit

The College Editors Guild of the Philippines denounces the interest-driven and antipoor decision of the Commission on
Appointments in rejecting the ad interim appointment of Judy Taguiwalo as head of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

President Duterte showed apparent lack of support for Taguiwalo’s confirmation. Just like in the case of Gina Lopez, Mr. Duterte allowed traditional politicians to reject Taguiwalo for political convenience and to accommodate his cohorts.

The rejection of Taguiwalo is a victory for corrupt congressmen, neoliberal economic managers and militarists who want her out of the Cabinet because of her uncompromising stance against corruption and traditional politics. She streamlined operations in the DSWD by strongly acting against the department’s
old corrupt practices and patronage politics, drawing the ire of many politicians who rejected her confirmation.

Her support for pension hike in the Social Security System, free tuition policy and prioritization of people’s welfare frustrated President Duterte’s economic managers namely Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia who have been pushing for privatization and commercialization of many social services. Together with other bureaucrat-capitalists and business interest groups, they undermined Taguiwalo’s position as social welfare secretary.

Following this unwelcome development, the Filipino people can only expect the social welfare department to return to implementing programs anchored on the neoliberal economic framework of profiteering from basic social services that do not ameliorate the lives of the marginalized.

However, it is clear that the fight for propeople service does not end with her removal from the echelons of bureaucracy. The Filipino people, inspired by Taguiwalo’s genuine advocacies to address the root cause of poverty in the country, shall intensify the struggle for social change in the parliament of the streets.

JOSE MARI CALLUENG, national president, College Editors Guild of the Philippines