New PPP chief named

President Benigno Aquino III has appointed lawyer Andre “Raj” Palacios executive director of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center of the Philippines, replacing Cosette Canilao who resigned last month.

Palacios was recommended by Canilao to the President.

The PPP is the cornerstone of the Aquino administration’s economic program which seeks to build infrastructure by partnering with the private sector.

Palacios was PPP Center’s technical adviser since January last year.

He had served as general counsel, Millennium Challenge Account Philippines, and assistant secretary at the Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel from March 2003 to May 2004.

As a lawyer, Palacios is an expert in international and corporate law.

He obtained his law degree from the University of the Philippines College of Law and placed fifth in the 1998 bar exams.

He also holds a Master of Laws in International Law degree, with merit, from the University of London.