Manalo named new DTI Usec

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has appointed Ponciano Manalo Jr as new Trade Undersecretary for Trade and Investment Promotions Group (TIPG).

“We have a new undersecretary. (His name is) Ponciano Manalo (Jr.),” Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo said in a text message yesterday.

Domingo said Manalo’s appointment took effect last week.

Manalo replaces former Trade Undersecretary Cristino Panlilio who tendered his resignation in December.

Prior to his appointment, Manalo served as head of the innovations group in Colgate-Palmolive.

As the head of the TIPG, Manalo will be taking the lead in encouraging firms to make investments in the country.

Offices under the TIPG are the Bureau of Export Trade Promotion, Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, Philippine Trade Training Center, Philippine International Trading Corp. and Foreign Trade Service Corps.

President Aquino also appointed 26 individuals to various government posts, whose names were read by deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte over her regular weekend interview in government-run radio station dzRB (Radyo ng Bayan).

Jose Alfonso Poblete was named as president, chief executive officer, and member of the Board of Directors of the United Coconut Planters Bank-Coconut Industry Investment Fund Oil Mills Groups A and B.

Jesus Arranza was also appointed as member of the UPCB Board of Directors.

Joffrey Suyao was appointed director IV at the Department of Labor and Employment while Milagros Isabel Cristobal was named member of the governing board representing the women sector at the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency, also under DOLE.

The Department of Justice, meanwhile, has Paul Elmer Clemente as director IV and Casiano Arcillas as Register of Deeds I for the Land Registration Authority. Faisar Mambuay will serve the Department of Agrarian Reform as director IV.

Those appointed for the Department of Environment of Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of Energy (DOE) were Rolando Castro (director III) and Patrick Aquino (director III), respectively.

Aquino also named Virginia Karganilla and Gary Martel as director IV for the Department of Budget and Management, with Maria Angelita Cells and Akmad Usman as director III, and Rudylia Parrel as director III.

At the Department of Education, John Arnold Siena was appointed as schools division superintendent.

Carla Pacis and Maria Cristina Lim-Yuson were named members representing the academe and child-focused non-government organizations for the National Council for Children’s Television, respectively.

The DTI will have Elmoise Afurong, Jonathan Jay Aldeguer, and Mary Ann Montemayor as members for the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development Council.

Other appointments include: Joseph Khonghun, member of the Board of Directors representing the Municipality of Subic, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority; Rodolfo Santos, director IV, Department of Social Welfare and Development;

Artemio Bernardino, director III, Tariff Commission under the National Economic Development Authority; Richard Ritual, Rear Admiral, Philippine Merchant Academy under the Department of Transportation and Communications;

Anthony Robles, member of the Board of Directors, Development Bank of the Philippines Data Center, Inc. under the Department of Finance; and Felixberto Bustos, Jr., member of the Board of Directors, National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation under the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.