Leachon gets dressing-down from Garin, 2 others after resignation call on Recto

When health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon called for Executive Secretary (ES) Ralph Recto's resignation, he probably didn't expect three women leaders from the House of Representatives to give him a dressing-down for his supposedly haphazard remarks. Rebuking and lecturing Leachon on Friday, May 8 were Deputy Speaker Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin, Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro, and San Juan City lone district Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora. Of the three, its Garin, a former Department of Health (DOH), who has no love lost for Leachon, as the two have clashed over the years because of public health issues and politics. “Sumawsaw ka na naman. Kung totoong buwis ang adbokasiya mo, then say it straight (You’ve jumped in again. If taxes are truly your advocacy, then say it straight): tax the rich, subsidize the poor and stop pretending that every complicated fiscal decision can be solved by calling for someone’s resignation,” Garin said in direct reference to Leachon. “Kulang na kulang sa context ang atake na ito. Madaling magpa-viral, pero mas mahirap maglatag ng solusyon na hindi sisira sa budget, o hindi magpapabigat sa mahihirap at hindi puro paingay,” Garin added. (This attack is sorely lacking in context. It’s easy to go viral, but it’s harder to propose solutions that won’t break the budget, won’t burden the poor, and aren’t just noise.) Leachon earlier took to social media to call for Recto’s resignation. He cited the alleged “defunding” of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), the failure to reduce excise taxes on diesel and gasoline, and Recto’s role in the Expanded Value-Added Tax (E-VAT) law as grounds for his demand. For Luistro, it was unfair to blame Recto for complex policy choices that pass through Congress, economic managers, and the full machinery of government. “Calling for resignation...