Over 150 nominations and appointments were approved by the Commission on Appointments (CA) during the 19th Congress within the first few months of the Marcos administration, demonstrating its productivity and effectiveness thus far.
The Senate’s Public Relations and Information Bureau (PRIB) said in a statement on Friday that according to Senate President and CA Chairperson Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri, between July 25 and September 30, 2022, the bicameral appointments body confirmed 113 military officers, 28 diplomats, two members of constitutional commissions, eight members of the Cabinet, and one member of the Judicial and Bar Council.
“This current Commission on Appointments has been one of the best performers of the last four administrations vis-à-vis the same periods during the beginning of a new administration,” Zubiri was quoted as saying in a press conference on Thursday, October 6.
According to Zubiri, the 19th Congress CA performed better than earlier Congresses in evaluating and approving the selections of Cabinet secretaries, the PRIB reported.
He referenced data during the same time period from the 17th Congress, when the CA confirmed seven Cabinet members; and from the 15th Congress, wherein no Cabinet member was confirmed; and from the 13th Congress, wherein only one department secretary was confirmed.
The PRIB said the Zubiri-led CA breaks with tradition by holding committee meetings and plenary sessions on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The Commission on Appointments is required by law to confirm the President’s nominees as quickly and effectively as possible, therefore Zubiri said, “We take our job very seriously.”
He emphasized the necessity to assess the fitness and qualifications of nominees or appointees, saying, “However, the Commission is never ministerial, perfunctory nor clerical. That’s why we hold long hours [of meetings]. It’s important that we vet the secretaries and not be a rubber stamp.”
Zubiri added, “We are doing our job and we are doing it quite efficiently, judiciously.”
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