Palace appoints Melo as director of Clark firm

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has appointed former Commission on Elections chairman Jose Melo as a member of the board of directors of the Clark Development Corp. (CDC).

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte also confirmed over government-run radio dzRB the appointment of lawyer Teresita Herbosa as the new chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Herbosa will replace SEC chief Fe Barin, who assumed her office on Sept. 1, 2004 and whose seven-year tenure would already expire.

Roberto Garcia, former president of battery manufacturer Ramcar Inc., was named chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), replacing Feliciano Salonga, while Rafael Reyes, executive director for Southeast Asia of PineBridge Investments Asia Ltd., would be the new administrator and chief executive officer of the SBMA vice Armand Arreza.

Garcia was earlier appointed by the President as one of the SBMA’s directors to replace officials affected by Executive Order No. 2, which removed the “midnight appointees” of the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The other appointees to the SBMA board were Alfonso Siapno representing the private sector, vice Ariel Castro; and Wilfredo Pineda representing the business and investment sector, vice Garcia.

The terms of the new SBMA officials will be until 2016.

At the CDC, the President appointed Cesar Villanueva, dean of the Ateneo law school, as chairman and board member, vice Rizalino Navarro; and Felipe Antonio Remollo, board member and president and chief executive officer.

Melo replaced Maria Theresa Abes-Laus while the others named to the board were: Francis Raphael Carpio Elum vice Maximo Sangil, Jose Danilo Honrado replacing Armando Madamba, Manuel Feliciano vice Tirso Santillan Jr. and Rommel Bondoc vice Adrian Chincuanco.

At the Department of Tourism, Myra Marie Villarica was appointed undersecretary, Maria Lourdes Jaleco as acting assistant secretary, and Mary June Bugante, acting regional director.