Peasant sector solon is DA chief

President Arroyo ended the guessing game for a vital Cabinet post by naming peasant sector representative Leonardo Montemayor yesterday as the new secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Rep. Angelito Sarmiento (Lakas, Bulacan), Montemayor’s chief rival for the position, was tapped by the President as her adviser on agricultural modernization.

Montemayor, a long-time peasant leader, sits in the agriculture and agrarian reform committees of the House of Representatives. He was earlier expected to be tapped as agrarian reform secretary.

Sarmiento, whose family owns poultry integrator Vitarich, will still have a Cabinet rank as presidential adviser.

The two joined the latest batch of appointees to government positions including a sister of jueteng whistleblower and Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson.

Ma. Viviana Singson took over the chairmanship of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office while radio reporter Restituto de Quiros was named PCSO board director.

Named presidential adviser on legislative affairs and concurrent head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office was Bernardino Abes, who was the labor secretary of Mrs. Arroyo’s father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal.

Former Tarlac Gov. Margarita "Tingting" Cojuangco was named presidential assistant under the Office of the President while Norberto Gonzales was designated presidential adviser for special concerns.

Retired Gen. Fortunato Abat, a former Army chief and defense secretary, was named president and chief executive officer of the John Hay Poro Point Development Corp.

Former Finance Undersecretary Milwilda Guevarra, who was principally behind the crafting of the expanded value-added tax (EVAT) law, returns to her old post at the department.

Also appointed yesterday were film critic Nicanor Tiongson as the new chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), Agustin Bengzon as acting commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), Juanita Amatong as undersecretary of the Department of Finance (DOF), Sergio Edeza as national treasurer, former Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan as board member of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), Pampanga newsman Maximo Sangil as board member of the Clark Development Corp. (CDC), Estacio Orobia as officer-in-charge of the Poeple’s Credit and Finance Corp., and Ma. Asuncion Fernando as the President’s correspondence secretary.

Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Pantaleon Alvarez named Commodore Reuben Lista the new head of the Coast Guard.

Lista was promoted to succeed Vice Adm. Euceo Fajardo, who is set to retire on Feb. 10. – Marichu Villanueva, Sheila Crisostomo