Philippine president names manicurist to key post

[SoCalDem]

What an odd thing for her to do

2010/04/22


MANILA: Philippine President Gloria Arroyo has named her manicurist to the board of a major government agency, today.



The appointment of Anita Carpon to the board of a body responsible for lending tens of millions of dollars for the housing needs of government employees has drawn sharp criticism. Arroyo’s spokesman Gary Olivar defended Carpon’s new posting and confirmed her other job as the president’s stylist. “Having a relationship of trust with the president should not count against someone,” Olivar told AFP.

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Local media reports say Carpon will receive a monthly salary of about 130,000 pesos (about 2,900 dollars), double that of the president herself.

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Butch Abad, Aquino’s campaign manager, accused Arroyo of acting without regard for the public good.“She further deepened the culture of political patronage in this country by putting people who are loyal to her in positions which are delicate without any regard to the qualifications of these people,” Abad said.

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[Ichingcarpenter]

1. Maybe she thought she would nail it.

Sorry, couldn't resist....

The Philippines has always been fairly corrupt but this sounds almost as bad as the Ferdinand Marcos era

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

2. Maybe a manicurist would be preferable

to Robert Gates, Timothy Geithner, or Rahm Emanuel

:hi:

[pampango]

3. It gets worse. "(G)ardener Armando Macapagal was appointed deputy of the Luneta Park Administration

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/04/21/10/arroyo%E2%80%99s-gardener-manicurist-land-gov%E2%80%99t-posts

"A Malacañang (Philippines version of the White House) spokesman confirmed Wednesday that President Arroyo's personal manicurist and gardener have been given jobs in the Pag-IBIG Housing Fund and Luneta Park administration.

Responding to a report by Philippine Star columnist Jarius Bondoc, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Gary Olivar said it is the President's prerogative to appoint whomever she chooses for appointive government posts."

"Bondoc cited an insider among Malacañang's housekeeping staff who expressed doubts about the two appointees' credentials.

"Macapagal supposedly landscapes Malacañang lawns but does not manage people. Carpon is not known for financial expertise to oversee multibillion-peso housing mutual fund of all employees. Nicknamed Nitz, she is often scolded by Arroyo for mismatching presidential handbags and shoes," the column read."

[SoCalDem]

4. Macapagal .. Isn't that the real name of Michelle malkin?

Maybe a relative of hers?