President Rodrigo Duterte should appoint tycoon Ramon S. Ang as the pandemic response czar, Quezon City Councilor Bobby Castelo said on Sunday.
Castelo called on the President to appoint Ang, president of San Miguel Corp., saying he is capable to be the pandemic response czar.
“It is unbelievable, or at least difficult to believe, that after one year of lockdowns we are in a much worse situation than ever before,” the councilor said.
“The government needs a competent and experienced overall manager, coordinator, troubleshooter, and deep thinker for its disjointed war against COVID-19. Mr. Ramon S. Ang, or RSA to his family and friends, may fit the bill,” he added.
Castelo said Ang is known for his management expertise, track record, character and integrity, the very qualities of a leader needed to stem the tide of the worsening pandemic.
“He has no political motive but to help people. He has turned around struggling companies and made SMC into one of the most successful companies,” he added.
The councilor noted Ang has also donated billions of his own money to the campaign against COVID-19.
“He could galvanize the entire public and private sectors toward achieving normalization soonest. His extensive and expansive network abroad could likewise help us procure enough vaccines,” Castelo said.
He said there is an urgent need for an honest-to-goodness, sustained, and strict enforcement of health protocols and called on the public to comply with the letter and spirit of all COVID-19 containment measures.