Roxas bares DTI reshuffle

Four months after assuming office, Trade and Industry Secretary Manuel Roxas II announced yesterday that he is reorganizing the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) beginning with the appointment of new assistant secretaries.

Roxas told reporters that the DTI offices for domestic and international trade have been combined, to be headed by Undersecretary Thomas G. Aquino, who succeeded former Undersecretary Lilia R. Bautista who is now chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Aquino was former governor of the Board of Investments before being appointed undersecretary vice Bautista.

Undersecretary Ernesto M. Ordonez, the longest-staying undersecretary at the DTI, has been assigned to consumer welfare and trade regulation, while his former post as in-charge of regional operations has been taken over by Undersecretary Nelie Villafuerte. Villafuerte was head of domestic trade, and is now in charge of trade promotions.

Appointed as new assistant secretary was Toby Melissa Monsod, daughter of former Economic Planning Secretary Solita Monsod and former Commission on Elections Chairman Christian Monsod.

Monsod was Roxas's chief of staff at the House of Representative when he was majority floorleader.

Monsod will be assistant secretary for information, technology, electronic commerce and electronics. This will be an office attached directly to the Office of the Secretary (OSEC).

Roxas also appointed Antonio Buencamino as "international trade caretaker," with the rank of assistant secretary. However, he will retain his position with the Foreign Trade Services Corps, another office under the OSEC.

Several existing organizations were also realigned and streamlined, including the absorption of the International Coffee Organizations Certifying Agency (Icoca) under the Bureau of Export Trade Promotions. The National Industrial Manpower Training Council was also integrated with the Center for Industrial Competitiveness.

Roxas also transferred the Bonded Export Marketing Board from the Industry and Investment Group of the DTI to the Board of Investments.

Roxas said these transfers and appointments are expected to improve the DTI's efficiency.

The creation of an IT office has also underscored the trade secretary's inclination towards information technology and the promotion of e-commerce in the Philippines as well as the Estrada administration's strategy to attract foreign investments through out-sourcing of IT services.