NEWSFLASH

MIKE A: I WON'T CHARGE GOVERNMENT A SINGLE CENTAVO FOR MY JOB

MANILA, December 9, 2002 (STAR) By Marichu Villanueva - All he wants to do is help.

First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo said yesterday he will not charge a single centavo to the government for his travels abroad to do his duty as special envoy for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Arroyo said his sincere intentions of assisting OFWs are being tainted with political color, when, in fact, there is none. "I’m just trying to help our OFWs. Why do they think about politics?"

He also asked professionals, especially lawyers like him, to give him a helping hand in extending legal assistance to Filipinos jailed abroad for various charges.

Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao reiterated the President’s stand on the issue that "there is nothing wrong" with her appointment of the First Gentleman as her personal representative to protect the rights and welfare of OFWs, especially those faced with legal problems in their host countries.

"It would be more effective if the First Gentleman is in some kind of official position in government (as a) stand in for the President in reaching out for the OFWs. There’s nothing wrong with that," Tiglao said.

He also deplored charges by the political opposition that the President’s designation of her husband as special envoy for OFWs smacks of attempts to conduct an early campaign for the 2004 presidential elections.

"The problem here is, apparently, the opposition thinks that it is for politicking. It’s too early, but they jumped on it. It seems that they don’t want us to help our OFWs," Tiglao added. "The OFWs, we feel, appreciated the gesture."

He said the designation of Mr. Arroyo as special envoy for OFWs cannot be compared with the President’s vetoing her daughter Luli’s appointment as an officer of the foreign service after she passed the competitive tests at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for a career position in the diplomatic service.

The President disallowed her daughter’s appointment to the DFA "because (Luli) would be an employee of the government," Tiglao said. "Here in this case, the First Gentleman won’t be employed by government."

While the Constitution bans government officials from engaging in nepotism, or appointing relatives up to the fourth degree of sanguinity and affinity to government posts, "envoys are not included" in this ban, Tiglao said.

"What is clear is line departments. Envoys are traditionally customary titular positions and not line positions, which the Constitution prohibits," Tiglao added.

Despite the fact that his status as the President’s special envoy remains uncertain, Mr. Arroyo is set to go to Hong Kong on Dec. 12 to address the needs and provide assistance to Filipinos there.

Mr. Arroyo is also set to visit OFWs in Italy in January next year.

However, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said in an interview with radio station dzXL that the President may no longer issue an official appointment to her husband.

Bunye also insisted that the appointment of the First Gentleman is not yet final, adding that members of the bicameral conference committee scrutinizing the proposed absentee voting bill should not use the First Gentleman’s appointment to delay or not approve the proposed measure.

Sen. Edgardo Angara, who chairs the Senate committee on suffrage and electoral reforms, earlier said Mr. Arroyo’s appointment as special OFW envoy could derail the approval of the absentee voting bill.

"There is no formal appointment for the First Gentleman yet. I think they should not ride on this issue if they want to help the OFWs. They should not use the appointment of the First Gentleman as a reason to delay the approval or non-approval of the proposed absentee voting," Bunye said.

"What Mr. Arroyo is saying is that, with or without the appointment, he is willing and ready to serve. The President may also not issue the official designation," Bunye said.

Earlier, Tiglao said suggestions that the President recall her designation of her spouse as special envoy for OFWs were baseless, as no official appointment papers have been issued to the First Gentleman.

Administration Sen. Joker Arroyo was among those who suggested that the President recall her appointment of the First Gentleman as special envoy for OFWs.

Tiglao also said the President intends to ignore her critics regarding this issue as she awaits the study on the legal issues and recommendations of the Palace legal advisers and the DFA.

"(The First Gentleman) cannot be recalled because he has no appointment as envoy," Tiglao said. "If (the President) feels that the situation of institutionalizing it (Mr. Arroyo’s designation as special envoy) is not the proper way, (the First Gentleman) would still be the personal representative of the President — with or without the title."

Reported by: Sol Jose Vanzi