Negros Occidental and Bacolod officials welcomed President Benigno Aquino III’s appointment of 55-year-old Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas II as the new Department of Interior and Local Government chief yesterday.

Roxas is the son of former Senator Gerry Roxas of Capiz and Judy Araneta Roxas of Negros Occidental.

Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said the appointment of Roxas to the DILG will be good for Negros Occidental that is close to his heart, and also for the country.

“It will be easy for us to bring the concerns of Negros Occidental to his attention because he is familiar with the province,” the governor said.

“Roxas will bring professional, transparent and conscientious leadership to the DILG,” he added.

The DILG post will also be good for Roxas’ political career, he added.

“The appointment of Roxas is another brilliant stroke by President Aquino. With his competence, dynamism and political savvy, only Mar can fill the vacuum created by our loss of the much admired Jesse Robredo,” Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said.

The DILG is a very major component in nation-building and it deserves a leader of the caliber and mold of Roxas, he said.

“We look forward to the advancement and acceleration of the gains of 'excellence in local governance' under the watch of Sec. Mar. We also join our fellow Ilonggos in celebrating this milestone in Western Visayas political history,” Leonardia said.

Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said the appointment of Roxas will be good for the Liberal Party, of which he is president.

Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) said the appointment of Roxas will be good for Ilonggos.

Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District) said Roxas’ new job “will be a challenging task but I am sure he will go beyond our people’s expectations.”

Roxas takes over the top DILG post left vacant following the death of DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo in plane crash off Masbate on Aug. 18.

Aquino said that Roxas' name was on the top of possible replacements for the position.

"When Secretary Robredo was missing, we had to entertain the possibility (of a replacement). I told Mar that he was first on my shortlist in case we had to replace Jesse," Aquino said.

Aquino said he appointed Roxas because he knows he can do the job.

"If I appoint an alter ego that can’t do the work, then I will have to do the work myself. I will have to appoint someone because I have full trust in him and it will lessen the number of things that i must pay attention to every day," he said.

Aquino also appointed Liberal Party colleague Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya as the new secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications.

Abaya is the secretary-general of the Liberal Party.*CPG

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