Roxas: Neri as new SSS President bad for 30 million members

Senator Mar Roxas issued a statement yesterday criticizing the appointment of former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and former Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairman Romulo Neri as the next Social Security System (SSS) President after its outgoing head Corazon dela Paz resigned yesterday.

In his short statement, he said:

"It is unwise. I would not have made that appointment. These are turbulent times for the country. The stock market is volatile. The peso is losing steam. We are beset with global uncertainties.

"It is not the time to appoint someone with minimal, real life work experience in the marketplace to sit atop the SSS which has nearly 30 million members. Besides, this appointment will just drive unneeded political controversy." 

This administration has been very generous to its pups. After Neri refused to elaborate on what he and Mrs. Gloria Arroyo talked about before the signing of the ZTE deal, now he's in SSS! Mrs. Arroyo, is this what you call public service or private service?

After Neri's stint in NEDA, he was transferred to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). When then Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya was appointed to head DBM, Neri was returned to NEDA. Then, CHED Chairman Carlito Puno who reportedly earned the ire of the President due to lack of cooperation with the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) over the implementation of the government’s ladderized education program was removed and was replaced by Neri as acting Chairman of the body. And now, as SSS President!

Senator Roxas is right! We need a qualified person to lead SSS, not just because that person goes along with Ms. Arroyo. It's an imperative that we should deserve a leader that knows what's best for our people not what's best for herself.  

In that, we say NO to Romulo Neri in SSS!