Velasco is new PRA head; NFA chief resigns

President Arroyo has appointed former National Bureau of Investigation chief Epimaco Velasco to the board of directors of the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA).

Meanwhile, National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Gregorio Tan Jr. has resigned from his post reportedly because of health reasons, as he also plans to devote more time to taking care of his aging mother.

Tan’s resignation was filed "as early as November" and took effect last Dec. 31, according to NFA spokesman Rex Estoperez.

NFA deputy administrator Jessup Navarro temporarily replaces Tan.

Navarro would be officer-in-charge of NFA until the President appoints a new NFA administrator.

"His (Tan) job is not conducive to his (high) blood pressure. He also wants to take care of his mother," Estoperez said.

According to Estoperez, Tan spoke with Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap regarding his resignation and that Yap "respected" this decision.

Estoperez said Tan has received many offers from friends in the private sector following his resignation. But Tan reportedly refused to take the offers, as the former NFA chief would like "to take a break."

Tan assumed office at the NFA in August 2004. It was Yap who reportedly endorsed Tan’s appointment to the post.

More appointments

Apart from Velasco, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the President also appointed Manuel Eduardo Zapanta as assistant secretary under the office of Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio.

Other appointments made by Mrs. Arroyo are: Elberto Emphasis, a former PRA executive, as member of the board of directors of the Poro Point Management Corp.; Oliver Butalid, member of the board and president of the Natural Resources Mining Development Corp. of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; and Nestor Mangio as member and chairman of the board of the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC).

Ermita said the appointments are part of the administration’s efforts to continuously improve the delivery of services to the people and ensure that the President’s economic development agenda is pursued.

Mrs. Arroyo has filled up top posts at the CIAC with fellow cabalens with Mangio’s appointment.

The entry of Mangio into the CIAC, which runs the 2,500-hectare Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark Field, Pampanga, complements the appointment earlier of Jose Victor Luciano of Magalang as CIAC president and Alex Cauguiran of Angeles City as executive vice president.

"DMIA will soon be the premier international airport with the most modern facilities, state-of-the-art equipment and technology in the country," Mangio said after his appointment.

The start of the New Year, meanwhile, proved promising for Coast Guard Commandant Damian Carlos, who was officially promoted to vice admiral yesterday.

Officials and employees of Philippine Coast Guard welcomed the promotion of their chief through a simple ceremony of "Arrival of Honors" at their headquarters at the South Harbor in Manila.

Carlos, 55, assumed his post as Coast Guard commandant last Nov. 15 in place of retired Vice Admiral Arthur Gosingan. — Paolo Romero, Ding Cervantes, Katherine Adraneda, Edu Punay