Cayetano welcomes Abella’s appointment to DFA

FILE: Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano (Photo: Alan Peter Cayetano/Facebook)

MANILA — Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano welcomed on Friday the appointment of former Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella as Undersecretary of Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Cayetano said he expects Abella’s appointment to help the country deliver its message to the rest of the world more effectively.

“On behalf of the men and women of the Philippine foreign service, I would like to welcome former Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella to the DFA family,” Cayetano said in a statement.

Cayetano said Abella, who had served as Palace spokesperson since President Duterte assumed office in July 2016 until October 27, would be in charge of strategic communications.

“As head of strategic communications, which is among the duties he will be assigned to, Undersecretary Abella can be expected to help us more effectively articulate President Duterte’s foreign policy and his directive to serve and protect the millions of kababayan (compatriots) OFWs we have abroad,” he noted.

He said Abella will be an “asset” to the DFA, as there is much work to be done in the international community and the Filipino communities around the world.

Before joining the Duterte administration, Abella was in the private sector as a businessman, writer, and evangelist in Davao.