Arroyo’s 977 ‘midnight’ appointments

Our latest report reveals that in her last six months in office, then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo bequeath the Filipino people a curious legacy, if also a big headache – 977 “midnight” appointments, as of the latest count.

This figure implies that Mrs Arroyo, in the twilight of her presidency, was signing on to 162 appointment papers per month, or over six appointments per day.

By all accounts, precipitate haste and political accommodation – of friends, allies and benefactors – drove most of the appointments.

Mrs Arroyo was unusually productive on three days in particular – March 1, 2010 when she signed 41 appointments; March 5, another 52; and March 9, another 24 appointments. March 9 was the eve of the Constitutional ban on signing appointments during an election period.

Authored by PCIJ Training Director Tita C. Valderama, an expert pen on politics and governance, this report consolidates the various lists of Arroyo’s “midnight” appointments to positions in the executive agencies, as well as in the more lucrative boards of government-owned and –controlled corporations. Attached to this report is an indicative list of the “midnight” appointments that Arroyo made from February to May 2010 in the Office of the President and GOCCs.