By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter
MALACAÑANG ANNOUNCED on Thursday that President Rodrigo R. Duterte has transferred Department of Tourism (DoT) Undersecretary Jose Garbriel “Pompee” M. La Viña to the Department of Agriculture (DA), taking over the position of former DA undersecretary Bernadette Fatima R. Puyat who now serves as Tourism secretary.
Mr. Duterte signed Mr. La Viña’s appointment paper on June 6.
The new DA official, who once served as social media director in Mr. Duterte’s 2016 presidential campaign, was first appointed commissioner of the Social Security System (SSS). Mr. Duterte did not renew his appointment when it expired on June 30 last year. On April 24 this year, the President appointed him to DoT.
Mr. Duterte also appointed Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) Administrator and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Raul L. Lambino as his adviser for Northern Luzon, with compensation at the rate of one peso (P1.00) per annum. When sought for explanation about this pay, Presidential Spokesman Harry L. Roque, Jr. said, “Because concurrent since he is CEZA already.”
OTHER APPOINTMENTS
The President also appointed Manuel L. Serra, Jr. as Member of the Philippine Coconut Authority’s (PCA) Governing Board; Wallie Lee as Special Envoy to the People’s Republic of China; Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega as Ambassador to the Commonwealth of Australia with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Nauru, the Republic of Vanuatu and Tuvalu; Teodora Doris H. Bakani as Member of the Board of Directors of Chemfields, Inc.; and Nepomuceno A. Malaluan as Undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Mr. Roque, for his part, said on Thursday, “As far as the President is concerned, he has fired more than 20. All of whom are very close to him. Well, let the people be the judge on this regard. Totoo po, may ilan na mga na-reappoint, tatlo lang po iyan, sa mahigit na dalawangpu (It is true that some of them were reappointed, but only three out of more than 20).”
The Spokesman mentioned Mr. La Viña, former customs chief Nicanor E. Faeldon who now serves as Deputy Administrator III of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and former commissioner of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) Melissa Avanceña-Aradanas who has been appointed Deputy Secretary-General of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).
As for Mr. Faeldon’s reappointment, Mr. Roque said: “It was not clear if he was removed. There was just a clamor for him to be removed, but the President never lost trust and confidence in Mr. Faeldon. That’s what I know.”
“As far as Mr. La Viña is concerned, that is really [the President’s] prerogative. There was an investigation, he was removed, but the President saw it — made the decision to reappoint him. So be it,” Mr. Roque added.
There was also a question on former PhilHealth interim president Celestina Ma Jude P. de la Serna whom Mr. Duterte fired on Tuesday. Despite her removal, Ms.de la Serna remains on the agency’s board of directors (BoD).
“I will clarify that…. However, as you know, the government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) has a policy that all its appointees’ terms expire on the 30th of June automatically, unless reappointed. So, let’s see what happens on the 30th of June,” Mr. Roque said.
