Former Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan PHOTO FROM CONGRESS.GOV.PH
President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed former Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan as undersecretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Duterte signed the appointment of Ilagan, a fellow Davaoeño, on September 13, weeks after the ad interim appointment of former DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo was rejected by the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA).
Ilagan served as a representative of the Gabriela Women’s Party-list from 2007 to 2016.
Former President Corazon Aquino appointed Ilagan as Davao City councilor in 1986. During that time, Duterte served as vice mayor of Davao City also upon the appointment of President Aquino
Like Taguiwalo, Ilagan is known to be “left-leaning” or “progressive” since the Gabriela party-list she previously represented at the House of Representatives belongs to the militant Makabayan bloc, which has already defected from the Duterte-allied super majority in Congress. /kga