Diokno: BSP to ensure
sustained inclusive grorruUr
President Duterte has ?ppointed
Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno
as new Bangko Sentral ng pilipinas
9OVernor.
Diokno, hours after his appoint-
ment, said the BSP is, first and
foremost, tasked to provide a feftile
ground for inclusive groMh, Yhe
role of the BSP is to ensure steady
sustained groMh that is inclusive,
.in a regime of price stability," Dio-
kno said.
He \^/ill replace the late Gov
Nestor A. Espenilla Jr, who passed
away last Feb, 23 from tongue can-
cer
Diokno, who will turn 71 this
month, said inclusive groMh and
the BSP'S role of ensuring that it is
sustained are "the same objectives
of the Duterte administmtion."
Diokno said he feels "fine" after
confirming that he is indeed the
next BSP governor, besting mar-
ket, economists, and the banking
sector's favorites, which are the
three BSP insiders - Depub/ cov-
ernors Diwa C. Gujnigundo, Ma.
Cyd Tuaho-Amador, and Chuchi
G. Fonacier. Tuano-Amador is the
l4onetary Board-designated offi cer-
in-char9e.
"I'm an economist by training
I
so have the appropriate aca-
demic background," said Diokno.
"My various high level assignments
have prepared me well for interfac-
ing with heads of international and
domestic fi nancial institutions,,, he
added.
Diokno
Hil
will
assume the un-
expired term of
Espenilla who
was supposed
to serve a six-
yearterm, from
ffiil
July 3, 2017 to
July 3, 2023.
He will be
the BSP'S fifth
DIOKNO governor and
under the BSP charter, recently
amended by RepublicAct No. 11211,
the BSP governor will not have to go
through trle Commission on Appoint-
ments to be confirmed.
Senators yes€rday welcomed the
appointment of Diokno to the BSp
sen, Francjs loseph "Chiz" G. Es-
cudero commended Duterte for ap-
pointing Diokno to the post.
"This will cerbinly ensure the sta-
bilrtt contiftrity, and predictability of
the muntry3 fiscal policies and gains.
I wish hlm welll" Escudero said in a
text message.
Escudero, chairman of the Sen-
ate Committee on Banks, Financial
Institutiont and Currencies, rejected
insinuations that Diokno's transfer
to the BSP fiom the Department of
Budget and Management has some-
thing to do with the issues leveled
against him by Gmarines Sur Rep.
Rolando Andaya, former House ma-
jority leader and now head of the
House Committee on Appropriations.
(L€e C. Chipongian and Han-
nah L, Torregoza) pAg.gl