A Long Shot

I'm afraid the VP doesn’t get it.

She thinks we are talking about meetings here. She thinks this is what I am driving at. That long winded, over-wrought explanation with the rattling of dates that in the end said the same thing I was saying: that it took her forever to get to work and do something for those who need it badly.

“VP Leni had briefings with Key Shelter Agencies (KSAs) beginning with HLURB on August 26, 2016. This was followed by briefings with NHA on August 31, 2016, SHFC and HDMF on September 16, 2016, HGC on September 28, 2016, then NHMFC on October 5, 2016.

How is this a defense of her work ethic?

I think it particularly damning for a HUDCC head to meet her HLURB subordinates for the first time a full 45 days after being sworn to office, her NHA subordinates a full 50 days, her SHFMC and HDMF subordinates a full 66 days, her HGC subordinates a full 78 days and her NHFMC subordinates a full 85 days.

To put things in perspective, the current HUDCC Chair, Cabinet Secretary Jun Evasco, who was appointed last week, got to meet all his subordinates first thing Monday morning.

And when then VP Binay was sworn in as HUDCC head, it was just a matter of days — 3 I think —when he found time to sit with all KSA heads.

Same thing with Chito Cruz.

Sure I got some dates off — but not by much. (Mea culpa.) And it isn’t as if the dates she presented to us exonerated her. If anything, they were just as damning because side by side with other HUDCC heads, it just even gets more glaring how Leni Robredo not only did not hit the ground running. But just how much her heart wasn’t into it.

“Ms. Badoy also claims that VP Leni did not hold board meetings earlier than October since she did not want to deal with holdover officials.

This is also FALSE.”

So they deny that Leni could only work with her nominees. And yet in the statement they themselved released for reasons she resigned, this is what they said,

“In barely five months, we have solid accomplishments in HUDCC. This, despite the obstacles thrown our way, which are: One, the budget for all key shelter agencies in 2017 has been slashed by more than P19 billion. Two, all our key shelter agency appointment recommendations have not been acted on.”

Her not having her own appointees, in other words, was deemed by them as an obstacle. An impediment. Something that would stop her from working.

And yet why would that be the case?

Under the Pnoy admin, all GMA appointees were asked to resign by July 1. So all were holdovers. But this didn’t stop VP Binay from meeting the KSA heads early on -- all of them holdovers. Meeting agad == in a matter of days — not even one week.

And

“HUDCC and the KSAs had to conduct the necessary due diligence first to ensure that valid meetings could be held due to the issuance of Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 4 in August 2016 directing all presidential appointees to submit their courtesy resignations.”

Do you know how long it took for the new HUDCC head to do all that? Something like 3 days. 5 at most. Binay? Same. Chito Cruz? Same.

Also, they themselves say board meetings were first held on Oct.

“Board meetings were also held with each KSA on the following dates: - HLURB, Oct. 12, 2016 - HDMF, Oct. 25, 2016 - SHFC, Oct. 26, 2016 - NHMFC, Nov. 9, 2016 - NHA, Nov. 16, 2016 - SHFC, Nov. 26, 2016.”

For HLURB, that’s a full 92 days after taking her oath, for SHFC, a full 105 days, for NHFMC, a full 106 days, for NHA a full 127 days.

And there is one KSA, she never even had a board meeting with -- the HGC.

And they say it like it’s a good thing. Something to crow about. Like it’s a defense of some sort.

How is it ok to finally hold your first board meeting a full 92 days after you’re sworn into office? And for NHA, 127 days. And for HGC, never.

“Moreover, board meetings are for setting long-term policy directions and this is impractical to do with outgoing board members who naturally prefer to let the next board decide on such matters.”

It seems like the VP has a wrong appreciation of board meetings. Board meetings are not for long term policies alone. There are a lot of contracts that need board approval so programs could move.

If the HUDCC head called for a board meeting ASAP, that would have spelled a difference because she has the mandate over all holdovers. So yes, it is conceivable that holdovers were wary like they say they were. All the more reason she should have stepped in early on.

Her stepping in would have dispelled whatever anxieties they may have had because there now was a new chair with the mandate to give them direction.

This is what's called 'leadership.'

And to have to spell it out this way so she gets it makes me shake my head in amazement.

Let me then just state what is obvious: one only need look at the table to see that Leni Robredo held off meeting her team. And at such unforgivably long periods of time.

Why?

That was my question.

Real lives hang in the balance. Real people. Children. Mothers. Fathers. Old people. They wait and wait for us to do this for them. The voiceless, the forgotten.

And in the meantime, she made those who’ve been waiting for over 3 years – thanks to Noynoy and Mar — wait even longer.

This was the team tasked to make millions of lives better. The team tasked to make those who’ve been living like dogs for the past 3 years remember they are human. And that they matter.

The VP had a clear shot at making millions of lives better. And she missed it. By a long shot.