Employees pine for ‘Peanut’ as Recto family attends DOF anniversary bash
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto and his family attended the Department of Finance (DOF) anniversary celebration, which garnered positive feedback from many of the attendees. However, some employees were still disheartened.
At the 127th DOF anniversary party last Friday, Recto was accompanied by his family members, including veteran actress Vilma Santos-recto, celebrity couple Luis Manzano and Jessy Mendiola, and Ryan Christian Recto.
It was the first time that the finance chief brought his famous family to his office in Manila since taking the helm of the DOF earlier this year.
However, the absence of Isabella Rose "Peanut" Manzano, the oneyear-old daughter of stepson Luis and Jessy, left many DOF employees feeling let down as they were looking forward to meet the apple of the Recto family’s eye.
Baby Peanut has been charming audiences on social media with her delightful antics, and many attendees were looking forward to meet the beloved granddaughter of the finance chief.
Meanwhile, during the same event, Recto’s wife Vilma revealed that she had been against the appointment of her husband as DOF secretary.
"I really argued with Ralph, I don't want [this for him]. I told Ralph that, 'Ralph, no, no, no please',"
Santos-recto recalled her conversation with her husband upon learning about the SOF offer.
Santos-recto candidly recounted the trials faced by her husband after championing the controversial expanded value-added tax (EVAT) during his time as a senator.
Despite the economic benefits of EVAT, which played an important role in guiding the Philippines away from recession almost 20 years ago, Santos-recto lamented the public's lack of recognition for these accomplishments.
"If I may be honest, I had a bad experience with the EVAT," Santosrecto shared with the DOF employees, prompting Recto to subtly intervene and prevent her from elaborating further.
However, despite her husband's efforts to intervene, Santos-recto continued to share the challenges that Recto faced following the enactment of the EVAT law.
She, however, emphasized how the law saved the Philippine economy from a fiscal crisis despite being highly unpopular.
"He did the right thing!" exclaimed the veteran actress, earning applause from DOF employees who had also stood by then-senator Recto during the contentious deliberations of the EVAT bill.
"He did the right thing because the recession in the Philippines did not happen. Unfortunately, that program did not become popular to the point that it caused him to lose one term," she shared.