DOE usec named Napocor president

An undersecretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) has been named president of the debt-ridden National Power Corp.

Undersecretary Cyril del Callar, who is in charge of power-related policies and programs in the DOE as well as serving as its "focal person" on international energy cooperation activities, is scheduled to take his oath before President Arroyo.

An updated schedule of appointments from Malacañang however did not show his name.

Del Callar takes over the helm of the government-controlled firm vacated by Rogelio Murga, who retired in December last year after some two years in the post.

Former Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. president Raphael Lotilla, meanwhile, is expected to take his oath of office before Mrs. Arroyo as the new DOE secretary this afternoon at the Rizal Hall in Malacañang.

On Saturday, the President swore into office Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and three ambassadors.

Romulo, whose appointment was confirmed unanimously by the Commission on Appointments last Wednesday, took his oath before the President in simple ceremonies at the Malacañang Reception Hall.

The former senator and executive secretary of Mrs. Arroyo was named Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) secretary last July.

The three newly confirmed ambassadors who also took their oath of office before the President are Delia Albert as the country’s ambassador to Germany; Elizabeth Buensuceso, ambassador to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic; and Jose Antonio, special envoy to the People’s Republic of China.

Romulo succeeded Albert at the DFA.

A former law practitioner, Del Callar began his stint with the DOE as assistant secretary in-charge of legal, financial, management and administrative services in 1995 that lasted until June 1997. He concurrently acted as officer-in-charge of the policy and programs office that include international energy cooperation.

As undersecretary for the electric power industry, Del Callar "coordinates and administers" the formulation and implementation of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, or the EPIRA law which governs the restructuring of the Philippine power sector.

Del Callar co-chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-European Union (Asean-EU) panel on energy "as an institutional and informal forum for wider private sector participation of both regions."

He previously chaired the Asean Senior Officials on Energy which led to the formulation, adoption and establishment of the Asean Center for Energy based in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he now sits as board member.

Prior to his joining the DOE, Del Callar practiced law at the R.A.V. Saguisag and Associates and served as legal staff officer for then Sen. Rene Saguisag. He was also chief legal officer of the presidential committee on the controversial Bataan nuclear plant.

From 1984 to 1987, Del Callar was in academe as faculty member of the Ateneo de Manila High School.

Del Callar received a degree in Bachelor of Science major in management engineering at the Ateneo de Manila University, and a Bachelor of Laws and Degree of Juris Doctor at the Ateneo law school.

Meanwhile, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye clarified yesterday the appointment of former vice president Teofisto Guingona stays since Antonio was named only as special envoy.

"Former Vice President Guingona is nominated as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to China," Bunye said.

He said an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary is the representative of the country to a foreign country and is accredited by the host government, and is given "an agreement or acceptance."

"A special envoy does not have this standing nor is he accredited," Bunye said.