Palace bares new appointments

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang yesterday announced new appointments in the Departments of Agriculture (DA), Education (DepEd), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Foreign Affairs (DFA), Labor and Employment (DOLE), Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Trade and Industry (DTI), Transportation (DOTR) and the Office of the President (OP).

President Marcos named Lorna Belinda Calda as Director III of the DA while Nasser Halipa was named member of the Representing Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries of Mindanao.

Gerson Abesamis and Graciela Mendoza were named Director IVs of DepEd while Ricky Arzadon was appointed Director IV of DENR together with Director III Vicente Abella.

Marcos named three ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the DFA, namely Patrick Chuasoto to Sweden and Latvia, Eduardo de Vega to France and Monaco and Christopher Montero to Indonesia.

DOLE’s Rogelio Chavez Jr. was named representative of the labor sector to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority board.

Meanwhile, Sabeniano Caliao Jr. of DPWH and Jerico Namoro of DTI were named Directors III while Ernesto Robillo of DOTr was named Director II.

The OP’s legislative liaison office also appointed three Officers III, namely Rickee Brieva, Joshua Soriano and Rey Zarate Jr.

Apart from these, Marcos also named Maria Amifaith Fider-Reyes as member of the Commission on Human Rights and Danton Bueser and Jose Mari Ponce as national government representatives in the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s board of directors.

Marcos also named Leonor Cleofas the new administrator and chief executive of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

Elpidio Vega, a long-time government corporate counsel and acting MWSS chairman, was now named chairman in an official capacity.

They will sit on the MWSS board of trustees alongside new members Merly Cruz, Dale Brian Go and Jose Hernandez.