THE Senate on Wednesday voted to confirm the nominations of former Sen. Teresita A. Santos as Department of Public Lands secretary, former Sen. Ray N. Yumul as Department of Public Works secretary and former Revenue and Taxation Director Tracy B. Norita as Finance secretary.
All nine senators voted to adopt the Senate Executive Appointments and Government Investigations Committee report recommending the confirmations of Santos and Yumul who had been serving as secretaries in an acting capacity.
As for Norita’s nomination, eight senators voted to confirm her, with Sen. Celina R. Babauta, the chairwoman of the EAGI committee, abstaining.
The Senate also confirmed the appointments of Denn M. Manglona to the Professional Licensing Board, Rufo T. Mafnas to the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. Board, and Joseph Patrick P. Fitial to the Civil Service Commission.
Pressing issues
Prior to the roll call vote for Santos’ confirmation, Senate President Edith Deleon Guerrero and Sen. Paul A. Manglona mentioned some of the pressing issues facing DPL.
Sen. Manglona brought up the issue with Rota Resort, stressing the importance of having a new investor to the island economy.
He said Rota needs the help of DPL to resolve issues with Rota Resort so that the department can issue a request for proposals and select the best investor for the people of Rota.
“We are talking about 150 hectares of public land, so if we can move on with that, we’d appreciate the support of DPL…. We have to move forward, no more delays…,” Sen. Manglona said.
Deleon Guerrero said DPL also has to look into land compensation claims. She expressed hope that Santos will look into this and other issues and work closely with the Legislature and the administration.
“We can no longer ignore these issues because those lands were taken many years ago — we owe it to the families that we owe monies to,” she said.
Other nominees
Seven senators voted to confirm Denn Manglona. Senate Vice President Donald Manglona and Sen. Manglona abstained.
All nine senators voted to confirm Mafnas and Fitial.
As for Yumul, Sen. Paul Manglona said he served with Yumul when he was in the Senate, and “he was a true public leader.”
Yumul was Senate floor leader in the 18th Legislature.
Sen. Jude U. Hofschneider said he, too, served with Yumul in the Senate, adding that “he is a man with a lot of information, he always has ideas and is always open to assisting everyone that comes knocking on his door.”
Deleon Guerrero thanked Yumul for discussing the need to construct speed bumps in Chalan Kanoa.
She also thanked Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang who was in the gallery, for committing funds for the project that will begin next week.
Senate Vice President Donald Manglona said Norita’s confirmation as Finance secretary “shatters another glass ceiling.”
He said he looks forward to a more open and dependable communication between the Legislature and administration “to weather the economic fall-off that the last administration had exacerbated at every turn.”
Deleon Guerrero said she appreciates Norita for working closely with the Senate throughout the budget deliberation, but added that there are still a lot of standing financial reports requested by the Senate president’s office that need to be resolved.
Newly confirmed Department of Public Works Secretary Ray N. Yumul, second left, with his brother, Rep. Ralph N. Yumul, second right, former Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services Commissioner Claudio Norita, left, and supporter Jerry Kintol after the DPW chief’s confirmation by the Senate on Wednesday.
