STRESSING the need for a strong leadership, a union of Commission on Higher Education (Ched) employees has endorsed to President Arroyo a replacement for acting chairman Romulo Neri.

In a letter, the CHED Employees Association (Chedea) Central Office through its president, Ronaldo Liveta, suggested Commissioner Saturnino Ocampo Jr. for the post, adding that Ocampo—not the party-list congressman—had risen from the ranks.

Neri, former socioeconomic planning chief, is under fire for refusing to divulge to a Senate inquiry into the $329-million national broadband network deal with ZTE Co. what she and the President had discussed about the project after Neri told Mrs. Arroyo there was an attempt to bribe him with P200 million to approve  the project.

“We need a strong leadership in CHED, which we believe could be realized under the stewardship of a kindhearted and dedicated father in Commissioner Ocampo,” said Liveta.

Julito Vitriolo, CHED deputy executive director, said, meanwhile, that officials of the agency are likewise endorsing Ocampo for the post.

Vitriolo said Ocampo possesses “solid and impeccable academic credentials” and has distinguished himself “as an academician of note and good standing.”

“His unassuming and easy-to-approach deportment has endeared him to the officials and employees of the CHED . . . [and] his participative and democratic leadership style is what the CHED needs at this time, and not the grandstanding and too-political posturings of others,” added Vitriolo.

The Chedea and several officials of CHED led by Vitriolo had earlier chided Commissioner Nona Ricafort for allegedly “grandstanding” to simply try to get the attention of Malacañang for her to be appointed head of the agency.

Ricafort has declared that the P550-million call-center project of the CHED is hounded by numerous controversies and could be overpriced.

Ocampo was formerly with the Department of Science and Technology before being moved to CHED. He was also a former president
of several state universities and colleges.

The letter added, “Madame President, we already see a good working relationship within the CHED and its stakeholders under the bastion of this commissioner [Ocampo].”

“In behalf of Chedea, we strongly support the appointment of Commissioner Ocampo as the next chairman of CHED for a regular term of four years to provide stability in the leadership of CHED,” they added. 

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STRESSING the need for a strong leadership, a union of Commission on Higher Education (Ched) employees has endorsed to President Arroyo a replacement for acting chairman Romulo Neri.

STRESSING the need for a strong leadership, a union of Commission on Higher Education (Ched) employees has endorsed to President Arroyo a replacement for acting chairman Romulo Neri.