CA panel OKs Domingo as DTI secretary

(Updated 3:31 p.m.) The trade and industry committee of the Commission on Appointments (CA) on Tuesday recommended for confirmation the nomination of Gregory Domingo as the secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Nobody opposed Domingo’s appointment during Tuesday’s hearing of the CA trade and industry committee. He was mainly questioned regarding DTI’s plans on how to make the country’s trading sector more competitive. Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte asked him about the department’s investment promotion plans, including its plans on how to strengthen the country’s export sector. Sen. Gregorio Honasan, for his part, asked Domingo on the “continuity and sustainability" of DTI’s plans, noting that it changes with every new administration. Domingo said that 80 percent of their programs were patterned from the previous administration’s while the other 20 percent were new. Domingo said he was probably recommended for confirmation right away because their department isn't that "controversial." "Masuwerte rin ho tayo pero ang departamento... hindi naman masyadong kontrobersyal (I'm very lucky but I think I it's because our department is really not that controversial)," he told reporters on Tuesday. He noted, however, that he was glad that several lawmakers were interested in their programs. "It's good to hear the concerns of the senators and congressman on what DTI should be prioritizing," he said. DTI undersecretary Domingo served as DTI undersecretary in the early part of the Arroyo administration when former senator and defeated vice presidential bet Mar Roxas was DTI secretary. He also served as head of the Board of Investments. Among his other previous positions were executive director of SM Investments Corp., president of Carmelray-JTCI Corporation, and managing director of Chemical Bank in New York and Chase Manhattan Bank in Manila. Domingo holds a master’s degree in Business Management from the Asian Institute of Management. The CA had earlier confirmed the appointments of Education Sec. Armin Luistro, Tourism Sec. Alberto Lim, Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala, and Public Works Sec. Rogelio Singson. On Wednesday, the appointment body is set to tackle the appointments of Energy Sec. Jose Rene Almendras and Defense Sec. Voltaire Gazmin. The CA is composed of the Senate president as its head and 12 senators and 12 congressmen as its members. The commission’s duty as mandated by the 1987 Constitution is to confirm appointments made by the President of the Philippines: the heads of the executive departments, ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, or officers of the Amed Forces from the rank of colonel or naval captain, except those of the Ombudsman and Supreme Court justices. The CA discusses and deliberates on nominations at the standing committee level and at the plenary session. Nominations or appointments may end up being confirmed, rejected or bypassed. — Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV