After 4 committee hearings, the Commission on Appointments (CA) finally confirmed the appointment of Eduardo del Rosario as Secretary of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

DelRosario bagged the appointment in the CA hearing on Thursday afternoon, November 19. Much of the final committee hearing on his confirmation – including the vote by the members – happened in an executive session, which was off limits to the media and the public.

Senator Francis Tolentino, head of the CA committee on human settlements and urban development, endorsed Del Rosario’s confirmation to the CA plenary. No one opposed it.

In a speech supporting Del Rosario’s confirmation, Senator Cynthia Villar said the former military general was the best person for the job.

In previous CA hearings, suspended for lack of time to tackle all the issues lobbed at Del Rosario, various sectors aired their concerns with Del Rosario’s handling of the Marawi rehabilitation and various housing projects nationwide.

But several officials had also expressed support for Del Rosario’s appointment, including Villar, President Rodrigo Duterte’s longtime aide Senator Bong Go, and Marawi City Mayor Majul Gandamra. The Marawi Sultanate League also sent a letter of support for Del Rosario on October 13.

One of those opposed to Del Rosario’s appointment was Marawi resident Bai Padoman Paporo, who blasted him for the delay in Marawi’s reconstruction.

“We would really like to oppose, kung hindi niya talaga kaya Marawi rehabilitation. For 3 years wala siyang ginawa. June 2020 lang siya nag-commence,” she said during the September 16 CA hearing.

(We would really like to oppose if he can’t handle Marawi rehabilitation. For 3 years, he has done nothing. He only commenced in June 2020.)

Del Rosario responded that there are 10 projects already underway in Marawi’s Most Affected Area (MAA) and that Task Force Bangon Marawi, which he heads, is on track to finish the rehabilitation of the area by December 2021.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, in the same hearing, relayed the concerns of Marawi advocates, including former senatorial candidate Samira Gutoc.

“The Marawi rehabilitation cannot be accomplished, plain and simple. Under this administration, the delays have been astounding that even with the COVID delay, there can be no hope of returning to most affected areas soon,” said Gutoc, in a letter read out by Hontiveros.

Del Rosario then committed that 90% of the infrastructure projects would be completed by December 2021.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, brought up the controversial use of Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) funds for the Hajj expenses of displaced Marawi residents.

“I understand that it is not an out and out case of corruption on your part. You helped displaced persons. Still, there’s no denying the fact you violated some laws, you violated the Constitution itself,” Lacson said on September 16.

The Commission on Audit flagged the use of the funds, P5 million in total, under Del Rosario’s watch, but Duterte defended it. – Rappler.com