Cimatu gets CA nod; Ubial fate hangs

The Commission on Appointments (CA) confirmed the appointment of Secretary Roy Cimatu as head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Cimatu’s confirmation came with “overwhelming yes votes” from the 25-member CA composed of lawmakers from the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Sen. Manny Pacquiao, chairman of the CA committee on environment and natural resources, sponsored Cimatu’s confirmation, saying he was “the most fittest and best qualified” for the top DENR post.

Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on climate change, said she was impressed with Cimatu’s work when she started working with him on climate issues since his appointment last May.

“We need the might of a general to ward off our problems on having clean air, and the problems on solid waste,” Legarda said.

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri noted Cimatu was not new to public service, not only having served in the Armed Forces for decades but also worked as special envoy for the Middle East to help Filipinos trapped in conflict areas during the Arroyo administration.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said he knows Cimatu’s honest character in the way he plays golf.

“They say a man’s character can be seen in the way he plays golf… will you move the ball when no one but only God and your conscience is watching? He (Cimatu) does not do that,” Sotto said.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito welcomed Cimatu’s appointment but disclosed he nearly failed to hurdle the CA after lobbyists from the mining sector wanted to make sure that one of their own gets a post at the department.

He said the head of the House contingent of the CA, San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, wanted Cimatu to appoint somebody from the industry as DENR undersecretary.

During the last two confirmation hearings, some environmentalist groups opposed Cimatu’s appointment, saying he was protecting the interest of mining companies.

He, however, enumerated the various sanctions he imposed on some mining firms violating environmental laws.

In a statement after his confirmation, Cimatu vowed to work hard to implement reforms at the DENR.

“The challenge for me now is to prove that President Duterte and the honorable members of the CA have made the right decision in placing their trust and confidence in my abilities to lead the DENR towards fulfilling the broad mandate entrusted to it,” Cimatu said.

After Cimatu, Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial is the only remaining Cabinet member who has yet to be confirmed by the CA.

Duterte has yet to appoint permanent secretaries for the Departments of Agrarian Reform and Social Welfare and Development after the CA rejected the nominations of Rafael Mariano at DAR and Judy Taguiwalo of DSWD. –