(UPDATED) The Commission on Appointments (CA) on Tuesday (May 16) confirmed former Valenzuela City Congressman Rex Gatchalian as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in speedy proceedings as members of the Commission of Appointments (CA) found him highly qualified for the post.

The confirmation hearing on Secretary Gatchalian’s nomination took less than an hour as members of the powerful CA cited his qualifications and track record as former Valenzuela City mayor for nine years and the city’s former 1st District representative for more than six years.

The CA’s committee on labor, social welfare and migrant workers has earlier endorsed the confirmation of Secretary Gatchalian after the CA panel approved Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte’s motion to bring the nominee’s appointment to the CA plenary.

Being a former member of the House of Representatives as well as the House CA panel, it was a walk in the park for Secretary Gatchalian as several congressmen and senators took turns extolling his achievements in Valenzuela City.

Earlier, the CA panel approved Secretary Gatchalian’s nomination after he responded to queries about his plans for the DSWD.

According to Secretary Gatchalian, he will put premium to the strengthening of the development programs of the Department.

“These development programs are the ones that will break the chain of poverty or the cycle of poverty,” the DSWD chief explained during the CA panel deliberation.

Among the flagship programs that Secretary Gatchalian plans to improve are the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) and the Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), among others.

“Ending poverty is a long game, but there are low lying fruits like ending hunger that we want to look at because these are investments to human capital that we can do immediately. We also want to bring back dignity in getting social welfare by making sure that we streamline the requirements, and that we go digital,” the DSWD secretary explained.

With regard to the social protection side of the DSWD’s operations, Secretary Gatchalian said there are already plans to prioritize the provision of assistance to Families and Individuals in Street Situations (FISS), and the capacity building of social workers in DSWD managed and operated centers and residential care facilities.

Secretary Gatchalian also said that he wants to make sure that all social welfare programs of the DSWD should be targeted, measurable, conditional and has a clear exit mechanism so that the beneficiaries of the DSWD will not slide back to poverty.

In terms of disaster preparedness, he plans to engage with the private sector to mobilize resources during disasters and calamities.

After several endorsements from congressmen and senators, CA Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Representative Luis Raymund Villafuerte moved for the approval of the ad interim appointment of Secretary Gatchalian as DSWD secretary.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, acting as presiding officer of the bicameral CA panel, approved the motion of Rep. Villafuerte and banged his gavel while congratulating the newly-confirmed DSWD Secretary.#