Palace appoints new government officials and judges, nominates ambassadors

President Benigno Aquino III (malacanan.gov.ph)

MANILA — Malacañang on Wednesday announced the appointment of new government officials and Regional Trial Court (RTC) judges, and the nomination of new ambassadors.

Appointed as undersecretaries were Kenneth Hartigan-Go of the Department of Health; and Mildred Yovela Umali-Hermogenes of the Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Council under the Office of the President.

Named as assistant secretaries were Bienadel Elizabeth Yap of the Department of Public Works and Highways; Elvin Ivan Uy of the Department of Education; Noel Macalalad of the Department of Social Welfare and Development; and in an acting capacity, Katherine Brimon of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Toni Angeli Coo has been designated as Chief Privatization Officer of the Privatization and Management Office under the Department of Finance.

Appointees under the Department of Transportation and Communications are Gilbert Rueras as President/CEO and Rene Abad as member of the Board of Directors, both of the Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation; and Tomas Carmelo Araneta as member of the Board of Directors of the Philippine National Railways.

Under the Department of Agriculture, Florabelle Uy-Tap has been named as Acting Deputy Executive Director III of the Philippine Council of Agriculture and Fisheries; and Roy Abaya, Vero Librojo, Carlos Magnaye and Zenaida Villegas as acting Directors IV.

Benjie Zabala has been appointed as Director III of the Office of the Political Adviser under the Office of the President; and Josephine Leyesa as Local Government Operations Officer VIII of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

New appointees at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority are Irene Isaac as Deputy Director General; and Florencio Sunico, Jr. as Director IV.

At the Philippine Foreign Trade Service Corps of the Department of Trade and Industry, Paisal Abdullah has been designated as Special Trade Representative; John Paul Iñigo as Foreign Trade Service Officer I; Alma Argayoso as Foreign Trade Service Officer II; and Benedict Martinez Uy and Magnolia Misolas Uy as Foreign Service Officer III.

Under the Parole and Probation Administration of the Department of Justice, Angelito Ilano has been appointed as Director II, and Benita Maramag and Marissa Alquetra as acting Directors II.

Named as new members of the Professional Regulatory Commission were Maria Graciela Gonzaga, Clarita Maaño, Eleanor Galvez, Eleanor Almoro, and Nora Uy.

Other appointees are George Francisco, Jr. as member of the Board of Directors of the LBP Insurance Brokerage, Inc.; Celia La Madrid Dy as member representing the employer sector of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, Region II, National Wages and Productivity Commission of the DOLE; and Francis Jude Lauengco and Richeliue Remandaban as Director III of the National Security Council.

Appointed as new Quezon City RTC judges were Lyn Ebora-Cacha for Branch 82; Marilou Runes-Tamang for Branch 98; Mitushealla Manzaner-Casiño for Branch 228; Cleto Villacorta III for Branch 229; and Maria Gilda Loja-Pangilinan for Branch 230.

Nominated as ambassadors were Constancio Vingno, Jr. for the United Arab Emirates; Daniel Espiritu for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; Evelyn Austria-Garcia for the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste; and Maria Fe Pangilinan for the Republic of Hungary.