MANILA, Philippines?Former Energy Secretary Vicente Perez Jr. has been tapped by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to chair the National Renewable Energy Board, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Wednesday.

The board is in charge of approving, implementing and monitoring the National Renewable Energy Program formulated by the Department of Energy.

After serving the government from 2001 to 2005, Perez went back to the private sector to work for Merrit Partners, an energy advisory firm, and Alterenergy Partners, a renewable power company.

Perez obtained a master?s degree in business administration from the Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor?s degree in business economics from the University of the Philippines. He is an active member of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature.

Ermita also announced the appointments of Zenaida Cruz-Ducut as chair of the Energy Regulatory Commission, Alberto Bernardo as Deputy Executive Secretary for internal audit, Ildefonso Dulinayan as president of the Philippine Aerospace Development Corp., Villamor Antonio as assistant government corporate counsel, and Brando Merrera as director IV for News and Information Bureau of the Office of the Press Secretary.