Ex-general is new housing czar

President Duterte has appointed former Defense Undersecretary Eduardo del Rosario as the new head of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

Mr. Duterte signed Del Rosario’s appointment papers to the HUDCC, which is tasked with coordinating the activities of key government housing agencies, on July 12.

Del Rosario, a retired Army major general, used to head the military’s Task Force Davao.

Malacañang also released on Thursday the appointment papers of lawyer Raul Lambino, an advocate of federalism, as administrator and chief executive officer, “with Cabinet rank,” of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority.

President Duterte also designated Bangsamoro Transition Commission chair and Moro Islamic Liberation Front vice chair Ghazali Jaafar as the leader of Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia this year.

The post of HUDCC chair, a Cabinet position, used to be occupied by Vice President Leni Robredo but she resigned on Dec. 5.

Del Rosario served as executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council during the Aquino administration but he resigned in 2014 because his job stressed him out.

Before that, he served for almost 37 years in the military until his compulsory retirement on Nov. 22, 2012, according to the Office of Civil Defense website.