The camps of Vice President Jejomar Binay and Vice President-elect Leni Robredo met on Thursday, June 9, to discuss the transfer of power for the second highest post in the country.
The meeting was smooth-sailing, but one question remains: where will Robredo hold office?
Camille Elemia reports. – Rappler.com
Transitions are never easy. But unlike the seemingly complicated transfer of presidential power, the shift from outgoing Vice President Jejomar Binay to Vice President-elect Leni Robredo seems like a walk in the park.
But the main question remains: where will the new vice president hold office?
Three weeks before June 30, the teams of Binay and Robredo meet in the Coconut Palace to discuss the transition of power.
Binay’s chief of staff Benjamin Martinez, and Boyet Dy, head of the Robredo team, initiated the meeting.
The department heads under the Office of the Vice President brief the Robredo team on key internal matters.
Martinez also tours the Robredo team in the tiny office in the nearby PNB building, where he introduces Dy to his soon-to-be staff.
Both teams have nothing but good words for each other, as both Martinez and Dy say the two camps have been very cooperative.
But while everything looks smooth-sailing, the incoming vice president still has to decide on one major issue: where to hold office.
Robredo earlier said she would want to stay in a cheaper office, as the rent for the Coconut Palace – the ceremonial office of the Vice President – costs roughly P484,000 monthly.
This is on top of the monthly rental of P312,000 for the PNB office.
From the looks of it, Dy says, they may have to retain the PNB office for the workers' welfare until the contract expires in December.
BOYET DY, HEAD OF ROBREDO TRANSITION TEAM: Her first preference is not to be in the Coconut Palace. That’s final in terms of her preference. But, of course, if we don’t find a sutiable location given our very short timetable...
As of May 31, Binay has used more than P70 million of the P500 million budget of the OVP – leaving Robredo more than enough funds to push for her advocacy, Dy says.
BOYET DY, HEAD OF ROBREDO TRANSITION TEAM: We're really very grateful to office of the current vice president for what they’ve turned over, to make sure we have enough fiscal space to be able to push our own advocacies and programs not just this year but even until 2017. So we're optimistic.
An “informal meeting” between the outgoing and incoming vice presidents is in the works before Binay steps down on June 30.