ni Rose Novenario
ITINALAGA ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., si Undersecretary Eduardo Punay bilang officer-in-charge ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Kinompirma ito ni Office of the Press Secretary officer-in-charge Cheloy Garafil sa isang kalatas kahapon.
Hinirang si Punay bilang officer-in-charge ng DSWD matapos ang dalawang beses pag-bypass ng Commission on Appointments (CA) sa ad interim appointment ni Erwin Tulfo bilang kalihim.
Sa confirmation hearing ay kinuwestiyon si Tulfo hinggil sa kanyang US citizenship at conviction sa isang libel case.
Ayon kay Garafil, may hiwalay na pahayag kaugnay kay Tulfo ang ilalabas ng Palasyo sa mga susunod na araw.
Bago napunta sa DSWD si Punay ay isang award winning journalist ng pahayagang The Philippine Star.
Ayon sa Palace memorandum, binigyan ng kapangyarihan si Punay “to ensure that the day-to-day activities of the DSWD is managed effectively, efficiently and economically, including the signing of administrative issuances, contracts, memoranda of agreement, or official documents necessary to carry out the objectives, policies and functions for the efficient and effective operation (of the DSWD), consistent with the authority granted to an OIC under existing laws, rules and regulations.”
Inatasan din si Punay na ipagpatuloy ang “ongoing projects, programs and activities of the DSWD, including the procurement and disbursement of funds, but is not authorized to enter into contracts or agreements involving new programs and activities.”
Bilang OIC, puwede niyang I-renew ang mga kontrata ng contractual o casual employees, gayondin ang job order at contractual service workers upang matiyak ang pagpapatuloy ng operasyon ng DSWD.