Former senators appointed to UCPB Fund board

MANILA, Philippines -  President Aquino has appointed former senators Wigberto Tañada and Ramon Magsaysay Jr. as chairman and board director, respectively, of the state-controlled Coconut Industry Investment Fund (CIIF) of the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB).

Tañada’s designation will cover the UCPB-CIIF Oil Mills Group in Gran Export Manufacturing Corp., Cagayan de Oro Oil Co., and Ilagan Coconut Industries Inc., according to deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte.

His two board directors are Roberto Macasaet Jr. and Wilfredo Paras.

Tañada is the father of House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “Erin” Tanada III, an ally of Aquino in the Liberal Party.

On the other hand, the appointment of Magsaysay covers the CIIF in San Pablo Manufacturing Corp., Southern Luzon Coconut Oil Mill and Legazpi Oil Co. Inc. His board of directors includes Bienvenido Bautista and Ermilando Napa.

Malacañang also announced the appointment of Directors IV Catherine Castañeda and Zenaida Gersana, and Director III Evelyn Mojica to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

Edmund Sana was named Director III of the Department of Agriculture, while Felix William Fuentebella was designated deputy secretary-general of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

Janice Santos was appointed Director III of the Presidential Management Staff, while Ma. Cristina Mariano is a Director III under the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

The new head executive assistant of Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma of the Presidential Communications Operations Office is Mark Dennis Derecho.

The Department of National Defense (DND) also has a new assistant secretary in the person of Patrick Velez.

There are also two new members of the Energy Regulatory Commission - Alfredo Non and Gloria Victoria Yap-Saruc - whose terms will expire on July 10, 2018, or two years after President Aquino steps down in 2016.

The President also approved the designation of Edgar Galvante as a member of the Dangerous Drugs Board until July 4, 2016, while Louis Napoleon Casambre has been named executive director, with the rank of undersecretary, of the Information and Communications Technology Office (ICTO) under the Department of Science and Technology.

Angel Lopez Lopez Castaño Jr. has been appointed chairman of the Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom), whose new members include Franco Loyola and Reynaldo Fernando.

Lyndon Noel Guce, now a Philracom member, will head the Jockeys Association, while Jesus Cantos will represent the Race Horse Owners Association, and Victor Tantoco, the Race Horse Trainers Association.