Aquino names 17 to key gov’t posts

PRESIDENT Aquino . INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III recently named several officials to top government posts.

Appointed commissioner of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) was Nieves L. Osorio, who replaced Mary Ann Fernandez-Mendoza. She will serve until Feb. 2, 2020.

Osorio completes the three-member CSC chaired by Dr. Francisco Duque III. The other commissioner is Robert Martinez.

Eduardo Martin R. Meñez, who previously served as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) assistant secretary in charge of the United Nations and Other International Organizations or UNIO, was designated ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Osorio’s and Meñez’s appointments were announced by deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte during her regular radio program on Saturday.

In the sub-Cabinet level, the President named Evan P. Garcia as the DFA Undersecretary for Policy, replacing Erlinda Basilio who is now ambassador to China.

In the Department of Education, Mr. Aquino named Dina Joana Saltiva Ocampo-Cristobal as acting undersecretary.

Energy Secretary Rene Almendras has a new undersecretary, Lesley Jean Cordero, who was previously assigned to the Presidential Communications Operations Office under Secretary Herminio Coloma.

Mr. Aquino also appointed Fides Barbara B. Borja as deputy executive director for the Performance and Project Management Office and Ceferino S. Rodolfo as assistant secretary in the Department of Trade and Industry.

In the Department of Transportation and Communications, the President appointed Camille R. Alcaraz-Campos as assistant secretary, Rodolfo John Paul C. Palattao III as Director III and Eriberto C. Suria as Director IV under the Office of Transportation Security.

In the Department of Justice, lawyer Florin T. Hilbay was named senior state solicitor under the Office of the Solicitor General.

The President also named two more undersecretaries and four assistant secretaries in different departments.

Antonio A. Fleta was named Undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture and Madeleine de Rosas-Valera as Undersecretary at the Department of Health.

Three assistant secretaries were detailed to the Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel—lawyer Mildred Yovela Umali-Hermogenes, Marguerite Therese Lucila-Tesoro and Lyra Miragrace C. Flores.

Former Director Raymund E. Liboro of the Department of Science and Technology was promoted to assistant secretary.