Claudio Heads Committee to Screen Bets for 2010

MANILA (PNA) — Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the search committee, headed by Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio, has been tasked by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to screen the administration’s candidates for president, vice president and senators.

He stressed the search committee will zero in on: the candidate’s “winnability and the vision must jibe with those of President Arroyo’s to ensure continuity for the economic and development programs of the President.”

Remonde said most likely the presidential candidate will come from the administration like Vice President Noli de Castro, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando or even Senator Richard Gordon.

“Pero alam mo naman sa pulitika na wala ring imposible. So, may posibilidad din na kukuha din sa labas, for as long as itong kandidatong ito ay ipagpatuloy ang mga programa ng ating Pangulo, lalo na po ang pagpapalago sa ating ekonomiya,” Remonde said.

On whether there has been a deadline set for announcing the candidate, Remonde said “wala pang specific deadline but for all practical purposes by June or July of 2009, dapat malalaman na natin kung sino.”

In a radio interview, Remonde said: “You know, what can be said is, kahit na anong sinasabi ng iba, the fact remains that under President Arroyo lang natin na-experience iyong ating bansa ang 28 quarters na sunod- sunod na economic growth.”

He added that “even if two-thirds of world economies went haywire (because of the global financial crisis) kahit papaano dito sa atin sa Pilipinas ay tayo ang iisa lang sa dalawang bansa dito sa Asya na nakikinita na magkakaroon pa ng economic growth sa taong ito.”

Remonde said despite the continued decline in remittances of overseas Filipino workers, “I will repeat, lahat ng mga bansa sa buong mundo ngayon are already experiencing iyong tinatawag na economic meltdown especially here in Asia, where only two (including the Philippines) are experiencing positive economic growths.”

“Dalawa lang ang bansa na magkakaroon pala ng economic growth sa taong ito at isa na tayo rito sa Pilipinas,” he stressed.

Remonde reiterated that the charter change has not been discussed in the Palace for quite sometime and with the numerous concerns (the economy and job creation) that the President has to focus on, “she hardly has time to even think of cha-cha.”

On the issue of 10-centavo tax on text messaging, Remonde said Malacanang is leaving this up with Congress but it is open to this issue on two conditions: 1) this will not be passed on to the consumers and 2) funds accruing from this tax will go to a specific sector like education or any other program for the poor.

One advantage of the tax on text is that it has “electronic foot prints so madaling kolektahin kasi madaling ma-trace,” Remonde stressed.