Aquino’s chief economist confirmed by CA

MANILA -- Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan breezed through the powerful Commission on Appointments on Wednesday, barely a week after he reported the country's much-welcomed economic growth of 6.6 percent in 2012.

Valenzuela City Representative Rex Gatchalian, chairman of the committee on tourism and economic and development, delivered a sponsorship speech to endorse the confirmation of the Secretary's appointment in the plenary session presided by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

Balisacan is the second head of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) in the Aquino administration after Cayetano Paderanga resigned due to health reasons in May 2012.

"Under my leadership, we in Neda will continue to tighten our mechanisms in order to strengthen the link between policies and investment programming, between national and regional plans, between continued economic growth and significant reduction of poverty and between our national interests and our partners’ development priorities," he said in a speech to the CA last week.

Among the heads of line agencies, only Environment Secretary Ramon Paje and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima have yet to get the nod of the CA, which is composed of select members of the House of Representatives and the Senate. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)