The STAR learned that the newly reorganized COPE will be headed by Assistant Secretary Malou Frostrom, who is currently Mrs. Arroyo’s appointments secretary.
Frostrom will replace Secretary Conrado Limcaoco, who is reportedly set to be named as appointments secretary with Cabinet rank.
Frostrom, a Cebuana married to a Swedish national, has been a close aide of Mrs. Arroyo since she was vice president. She has a master’s degree in business administration, major in marketing, from Ateneo de Manila University.
Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye confirmed yesterday the latest reorganization of offices at the Palace.
Bunye, however, did not give any details except to say that the reorganization "looks like it will take effect in two weeks."
Reached by The STAR yesterday, Frostrom said the President informed her that the new COPE will not only handle her provincial trips but also her other official engagements within and outside Malacañang.
Mrs. Arroyo created COPE under Executive Order 335 she issued in July 2004, naming Limcaoco as its head.
COPE was originally composed of "seconded officials" from the Office of the Press Secretary, the Presidential Management Staff, the Office of the Protocol, Appointments Office, and the Presidential Security Group.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Limcaoco also confirmed the President’s plan to reorganize COPE. He said there was "a lot of contemplation" involving the reorganization of COPE.
"But I have not seen anything yet on paper. The President can just amend it (EO 355). Anything she signs has the force and effect of a law," Limcaoco said.
He said he has been asking Mrs. Arroyo for a leave of absence from his office in order to undergo therapy for his "multiple-level" slipped discs.
Limcaoco, 53, disclosed he has been suffering severe back pains that landed him in hospital a few weeks ago and prevented him from joining the President on her provincial visits.
"I just need to reheal my body," he quipped, brushing aside talk that he was on the way out.
Sources said Limcaoco was supposed to become the new appointments secretary while Frostrom took over the new COPE, as originally contemplated.
"It really depends on the trust and confidence of the President," he admitted.
In the meantime, Limcaoco said, he "needs to physically recover" from the rigors of his job as head of COPE. He has joined Mrs. Arroyo on all her provincial trips since COPE was created seven months ago.
He said the President’s schedule will take her to Agusan del Sur on Monday, Davao on Tuesday for the World Bank conference and the Cabinet-National Economic and Development Authority meeting, Cebu on Wednesday for the Euro-Money lenders meeting, Negros Oriental on Thursday to inaugurate call centers, Siquijor on Friday to distribute land titles, and Baguio City on Saturday to speak at the 87th commencement exercises of the Philippine Military Academy.
On past provincial trips, Limcaoco not only had to cope with Mrs. Arroyo’s demands. He also had several brushes with photographers and reporters.