Romeo Lumagui Jr. is the chief of the BIR, and Dr. Eric Tayag has been promoted to undersecretary at the DOH. (FILE PHOTOS)
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has named Romeo Lumagui Jr., deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), as the new head of the tax agency, replacing Commissioner Lilia Guillermo, in the latest round of executive appointments.
Malacañang, however, did not say why the president replaced Guillermo, the former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas assistant governor who was appointed BIR chief shortly after Marcos assumed the presidency.
Lumagui, a tax lawyer, took his oath before the president in Malacañang on Tuesday. He was previously in charge of BIR’s operations group.
His appointment followed earlier announcements of lawyer Ernesto Perez assuming leadership of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) as its director general, and of lawyer Jose Arturo “Jay Art” Tugade, son of former Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, as head of the Land Transportation Office (LTO).
Rescinded appointment
The younger Tugade was named acting general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority only last month, but that appointment has apparently been rescinded.
Malacañang did not immediately give an official explanation.
Tugade replaced lawyer Teofilo Guadiz III, who was named LTO chief last July.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, who administered the oath of office to Tugade on Monday, said the new LTO chief was “best suited for the very challenging job.”
“With his experience in management and litigation, I believe that he will make a difference in the LTO with the many problems and controversies being faced by the agency,” Bautista said.
Dancing doc
On Tuesday, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the promotion to undersecretary of Director Eric Tayag, a former mouthpiece of the agency known for breaking into dance to raise awareness of public health programs.
“We received the transmittal of his appointment yesterday. Other [DOH] officials are still discussing where he can be appropriately assigned so he can be of help to the DOH,” Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, the officer in charge of the DOH, told a press briefing.
She noted, however, that Tayag has not assumed office and has yet to take his oath.
In a text message to the Inquirer, Tayag said he would know by next week his exact designation.
Tayag is currently the director of DOH Knowledge Management and Information Technology Service.
He joins former police chief Camilo Cascolan as DOH undersecretary.
Cascolan is now leading the field implementation and coordination team in Visayas, Vergeire said.
At Arta, Perez succeeded lawyer Jeremiah Belgica, who served as the body’s head from July 2019 to June.
In a statement, Perez, who served previously as Arta’s deputy director general for operations and concurrent OIC, thanked Mr. Marcos for his trust.
“This appointment is really providential, as it would allow us to further continue what we have always aspired for from the very start, that is, to remove red tape and increase the ease of doing business, ultimately benefiting the economy and the people,” he said.