NEWLY-APPOINTED Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian paid a courtesy call on Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez at the Speaker’s Office in the House of Representatives.
On Wednesday, Romualdez welcomed the appointment of Valenzuela City Rep. Rex Gatchalian as Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Gatchalian was sworn in as the new DSWD secretary in Malacañang on Tuesday, coinciding with the celebration of the department’s 72nd founding anniversary.
Romualdez believes Gatchalian is an excellent choice to head the DSWD, citing the latter’s outstanding track record and long experience as a public servant.
“Cong., now Secretary Rex, the loss of Congress is the gain of the DSWD. We wish you the best of luck,” Romualdez said in a media interview.
“We know that you’re going to do a fantastic job. You’ve done so well in Valenzuela, we know your public service, your dedication, your diligence, your energy, will translate to further success for the DSWD,” Romualdez added.
Before his appointment to DSWD, Gatchalian served as representative of the 1st District of Valenzuela City, which he also represented in the House under the 14th and 15th Congress.
He was likewise elected as the city’s 26th mayor.
Romualdez said that in the meantime, the House would likely appoint a caretaker because of the vacancy created by Gatchalian’s appointment to DSWD.
“Usually, when a vacancy occurs such as in the case where Cong. Rex Gatchalian has been appointed and has now taken his oath as Secretary of the DSWD—-there’s a vacancy—so there will be a caretaker for that situation of his absence,” Romualdez explained.
