Customs chief up for promotion

President Arroyo confirmed Friday night the resignation of Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo but said she will give him a new assignment when he returns from his two-week leave.

Mrs. Arroyo disclosed this in the open forum of the annual "President’s Night’ of the Manila Overseas Press Club (MOPC) held at the Hotel Intercontinental in Makati City.

"I have other plans for Tony (Bernardo) after his leave," she said.

Before his appointment as Customs chief, Bernardo was an undersecretary at the Department of Finance (DOF).

On the recommendation of Bernardo, the President designated deputy commissioner George Jereos as officer-in-charge of the Customs bureau.

But Mrs. Arroyo was mum when asked if Bernardo would be promoted to a Cabinet post.

She said she was putting all Cabinet changes on hold until the 13th Congress, which started its first regular session last July 26, constitutes the Commission on Appointments (CA).

"I will not give any more answers regarding a revamp until after the (CA) is constituted," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo expressed optimism that Congress would constitute the CA within the month, which would give her enough time to choose her new appointees.

Chaired by Senate President Franklin Drilon, the CA is made up of 12 senators and 12 members of the House of Representatives.

Mrs. Arroyo also disclosed that she had already signed the executive order creating the office of the Presidential Adviser on Communications. The new office will have administrative control over four "sub-structures," including the Office of the Press Secretary and the office of the presidential spokesperson.

Saying she would "not be boxed in" by tradition, Mrs. Arroyo told the MOPC forum that the new Cabinet-level office would be exempt from scrutiny by the CA. In contrast, to the press secretary needs to be confirmed by the CA.

The President did not talk about her plans for incumbent Press Secretary Milton Alingod and Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio Bunye.

Bunye was among the new members of the elite club of foreign and local journalists and public relations practitioners sworn in by Mrs. Arroyo and MOPC president and Philippine STAR publisher Max Soliven.

The President and Soliven also handed the MOPC leadership award to Ricardo "Dong" Puno, former press secretary and former ABS-CBN vice president for news and public affairs. Puno was earlier reported as among those being considered as Communications adviser.