Angara takes oath tomorrow

Agriculture Secretary Edgardo Angara will become the country’s new executive secretary tomorrow, replacing Ronaldo Zamora, in what is deemed to be the start of a major revamp in President Estrada’s Cabinet.

Angara has recommended the appointment of Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban to his old post to sustain the successful food security program which he started.

Zamora, on the other hand, is leaving Malacañang to run anew for Congress in the coming elections in May. He is in the United States for a medical checkup.

Angara was a former Senate president who ran but lost as Mr. Estrada’s vice presidential bet in the 1998 elections. He was first offered to head the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, being a former president of the University of the Philippines, but he chose to head the Agriculture department.

A lawyer, he was one of the founders of ACCRA Law firm and still heads the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) party which is a part of the ruling Laban ng Masang Pilipino (LAMP) ruling coalition.

Angara is reportedly planning to bring Agriculture Undersecretary Macel Fernandez to Malacañang with him, allegedly as the new head of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS).

The PMS is attached to the executive secretary’s office. It became controversial during the so-called turf war between Zamora and former PMS chief Leonora de Jesus early last year when the latter was accused of usurping the former’s powers.

Fernandez, a bar topnotcher, is regularly seen on television as co-host of Sen. Franklin Drilon in the talkshow Frankahan.

Angara was not immediately available for comment on the said reports. – Marichu Villanueva