Who is he?
Panfilo “Ping” Lacson was elected to the Philippine Senate in 2001 and served as a legislator for more than a decade, during the administrations of presidents Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Benigno Aquino. During his time in the Senate, Lacson authored several important pieces of legislation, including the Anti-Money Laundering Act, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, and the Anti-Cheating Act of 2007.
Senator Panfilo Lacson of the Philippines. Source: Wikimedia, used under a creative commons license.
Before becoming a senator, Lacson was director-general of the Philippine National Police for Estrada. In 2004, he unsuccessfully ran for president against the incumbent Arroyo.
Why is he in the news?
President Aquino on December 2 appointed Lacson to lead post-typhoon rehabilitation efforts nearly a month after Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda devastated the central Philippines. Lacson will oversee an initial budget of $934 million allocated to reconstruction.
What can we expect from him?
Lacson has pledged to achieve at least 85 percent of all needed rehabilitation before Aquino leaves office in 2016, calling the recovery of typhoon-stricken areas “doable.” His appointment stirred controversy among members of the public and a few officials. Despite an otherwise clean reputation, Lacson was linked to several murder cases during his tenure as senator. In his new capacity, Lacson will face the challenge of assuring skeptics that he is able to complete the assigned task in a transparent manner.
Aquino has been criticized for his government’s insufficient initial response to Typhoon Yolanda, and Lacson’s success, or lack thereof, will have a definite impact on the president’s legacy.
