The bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA) will deliberate on Ralph Recto’s designation as Secretary of the Department of Finance (DOF) on March 13.

“The CA’s committee on finance chaired by Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. will hold its confirmation hearing on Secretary Recto’s ad-interim appointment on Wednesday,” CA Assistant Minority Leader and Surigao del Sur Representative Johnny Pimentel announced in a statement on Sunday.

Pimentel predicted “smooth sailing” for Recto’s confirmation.

“It will likely be a breeze for Secretary Recto. We expect him to be accorded the courtesy of a swift confirmation, considering that he used to be a member of both the House of Representatives and the Senate,” Pimentel said.

The CA is composed of 12 members each from the House and the Senate, with the Senate President as ex officio presiding officer.

The Constitution empowers the 25-member CA to scrutinize the competence, fitness and integrity of Cabinet secretaries and other key presidential appointees, and to approve or reject them.

Recto, 60, previously served as Batangas sixth district representative for nine years and as a member of the Senate for 18 years.

He was supposed to serve another three-year term at the House from 2022 to 2025, but cut short his term when he was appointed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to lead the DOF on Jan. 12.

Recto replaced Benjamin Diokno, who has since moved back to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as one of the six members of the Monetary Board.

Recto is a grandson of the statesman Claro Recto, and is married to actress Vilma Santos, who previously served as Lipa City mayor, and also as Batangas sixth district representative. (PNA)

Photo credit: Facebook/DOFPH