Marcos names new Customs, NTC chiefs

President Marcos has appointed Bienvenido Rubio as the new head of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), lawyer Ella Bianca Lopez as the new commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and former Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian as undersecretary for the Rice Industry Development of the Department of Agriculture.

Mr. Marcos also appointed Leonel Nicolas as chief of the Intelligence Service of the Philippine Army on Feb. 1.

Rubio, who hails from Batac City in Ilocos Norte, replaced Yogi Filemon Ruiz who served as the agency’s acting commissioner since July 2022.

Prior to his appointment, Rubio was BOC’s director for port operations service.

The Presidential Communications Office said Lopez was appointed to the NTC post on Feb. 7.

Prior to her appointment, Lopez served as officer in charge of the NTC after former Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba was appointed chair of the Commission on Audit.

Lopez was a former deputy commissioner of the NTC.

The NTC is tasked to regulate, supervise and adjudicate all telecommunication, broadcast and radio communication facilities in the country.

Sebastian, who was earlier implicated in the sugar importation mess, was appointed on Feb. 8.

Cleared

But in January this year, the Office of the President cleared Sebastian and other board members of the Sugar Regulatory Administration over the unauthorized resolution to import 300,000 metric tons of refined sugar last year.

A memorandum from Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said Sebastian would represent the agriculture secretary on rice matters.

The President serves as the concurrent agriculture secretary. Mr. Marcos also named Karen Kristine Roscom as director IV of the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards and Paul Limson as director IV of the Bureau of Animal Industry. He also designated Romeo Reyes, Josemari Hernando and Lita Rosales as directors of the Department of Agrarian Reform.

The President also appointed Arturo Baesa, Annie Geron, Angelita Señorin and Jesus Villamor as members, representing the labor sector at the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council of the Department of Labor and Employment.

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