Cayetano to Pnoy: 'Appoint the best of the best'

Senate minority leader Alan Peter Cayetano reiterated his call to President Aquino to appoint to government positions not merely those qualified but rather the best of the best.

"We really have no question if the appointees are qualified. While I do feel that the President sort of limited his appointees to the people he knew, a vast majority of them are very qualified. But are they the best of the best?" he asked.

The senator noted that at present, President Aquino appointing the best of the best is still the exception rather than the rule.

"This means that there are still a lot of the best out there that can serve in the government but are not being asked to join even in a non-cabinet position," he stated.

Cayetano also pointed out the need for the President to determine a concrete discipline policy when it comes to dealing with an appointee's slip-ups.

"The problem with appointing friends is that you have to have a clear policy when they do something wrong, otherwise there will always be a perception that friendship comes in the way of professionalism," he said.

"Let's take what happened in Bilibid as an example. Even if Gen. Diokno was the President's friend, when the investigation showed that they are going to hold him liable, he resigned. I'd like to see that kind of policy," he explained.

The minority leader called on the President to use the last weeks before his State of the Nation Address (SONA) to assess if the right persons were chosen to lead departments and various government agencies.

He also suggested that definite goals be set in the future to serve as benchmarks for gauging performance and to effectively boost our country's economy.

"I think this government is doing good to show their difference from the Arroyo administration, to show that they do not tolerate graft and corruption," he said.

"I'd like to see goals for 2013 and for 2016. I think even his supporters want to continue to support him but are looking for concrete plans and goals they can support," he added.