P-Noy confirms Cabinet postings

SYDNEY – Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras would become secretary to the Cabinet and would be replaced by Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho Petilla, President Aquino announced here yesterday.

Aquino told a media briefing that Secretary Julia Abad would stay on as Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief. There were earlier reports that Almendras would either replace Abad or become chief of staff.

The President said he had not yet signed the papers of Petilla because “he has to finish certain commitments in the province of Leyte.”

“Secretary Almendras, I think the title is something like Secretary to the Cabinet which is a secretary position also... previously occupied by (former transportation secretary Jose) Ping de Jesus during my mother’s incumbency,” Aquino said.

“Julia, I understand, has a child. She has already adopted a routine and is capable of retaining her job... She can accommodate being a new mother and attending to her functions as PMS head. Maybe some of the load would also be transferred to Secretary Almendras,” Aquino said.

Asked if there would be further changes in the Cabinet, Aquino replied, “That’s it.”

“Unless someone will resign that I won’t permit or elope. It seems I am still the single (unmarried) person (in the Cabinet),” he said.

Aquino said he was impressed with the qualifications of Petilla and shared the same ideology and beliefs.

“In the private sector, (Petilla) had started out and ran various companies. Among them are the BPO (business process outsourcing) companies,” Aquino said.

Aquino said Petilla is “somebody who’s astute also with the aspect of finance. So he has private sector experience, not from the industry so there is no possibility of regulatory capture.”