Another defeated senatorial bet gets govt post

(Updated 4:10 p.m.) MANILA, Philippines - Former Sen. Tessie Aquino-Oreta has become the latest defeated administration candidate in the 2007 elections to be given a post in the government. Oreta was appointed by President Arroyo as the chairwoman of the Early Childhood Care and Development Council (ECCD) under the Office of the President, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita announced on Wednesday. Ermita said the appointment of Oreta, who ran for senator under the Team Unity ticket in the 2007 elections, was not an "accommodation" and noted that the post is "relevant to the society." Oreta is the sister of Lupita Aquino-Kashiwahara, President Arroyo's image consultant. Oreta's appointment came amid the execution of the government's rationalization program that threatens to retrench thousands of government employees with low positions. According to the Confederation for Unity Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage), more than 420,000 government employees are set to lose their jobs due to the global economic slowdown This, despite the admission of the Civil Service Commission that there are 81 top level positions - or more than what is needed - in the government. Courage said this is a proof of the "double standard" on the part of the government. Oreta ran and won under the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) party of former President Joseph Estrada in 1998, but she and former Sen. Vicente Sotto III decided to run under the administration banner in 2007. Sotto has earlier been appointed as head of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB). Other defeated TU candidates who were given posts include: • Ralph Recto as National Economic and Development Authority head; • Prospero Pichay Jr. as head of the Local Water Utilities Administration; • Luis “Chavit" Singson as Deputy National Security Adviser; • Michael Defensor as acting chairman of the Philippine National Railways (PNR). Only actor Cesar Montano, Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, and former Gov. Vicente Magsaysay have not been given posts. - Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV