Ipinahayag ni Pampanga 2nd district Representative at dating Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo na proud siya sa pagkatalaga kay Ralph Recto bilang bagong kalihim ng Department of Finance (DOF).
“I am proud that my former NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) head, Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto, is now Secretary of Finance,” pahayag ni Arroyo, na naging pangulo ng bansa mula 2001 hanggang 2010, nitong Biyernes ng gabi, Enero 12. Nagsilbi naman si Recto bilang NEDA director-general mula Hulyo 23, 2008 hanggang Agosto 16, 2009.
Samantala, ayon sa dating pangulo, nang maging senador naman daw si Recto sa kaniyang administrasyon, ito ang naging “front” at “center” ng kaniyang fiscal reform legislation.
“He sponsored the permanent structural solution to our fiscal problems. To put in place a long term solution to our fiscal problem, I needed to raise new taxes. Like all epic tales of political battle, there are heroes. For my fiscal reforms, together with Congressman Jesli Lapus, it was Senator Ralph Recto,” ani Arroyo.
Recto, pinanumpa ni Marcos bilang DOF secretary
“No one likes taxes, so it was easy for the opposition to attack, and simply to cast the blame on the sponsors of the law. Ralph and Jesli both held the line. Ralph entered the battle with a national re-election coming up in 2007, and taxes were a national issue,” dagdag pa niya.
Binanggit din ng dating pangulo na tiwala siyang gagawin ni Recto ang tama habang nasa tungkulin bilang bagong kalihim ng DOF.
“There is a Pulitzer Prize-winning book by John F. Kennedy, Profiles in Courage, about U.S. senators who defied the opinions of their constituents to do what they felt to be right, and suffered for it. That is what Ralph did.
“But his reforms restored our country’s economic health, allowing the Philippines to avoid a recession during the 2008 worldwide crash caused by the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis. Congratulations, Ralph. I am confident in your proven political will to do what is right,” saad ni Arroyo.
Matatandaang nitong Biyernes nang manumpa si Recto para sa naturang posisyon sa DOF.
