President Marcos names Bensurto as Philippine ambassador to Turkey

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has appointed career diplomat Henry Bensurto Jr. as the country’s ambassador to Turkey, Malacañang announced yesterday.

As ambassador to Turkey, Bensurto also has jurisdiction over Georgia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

Bensurto’s appointment papers were signed on March 21, the PCO said. Prior to his latest position, Bensurto served as assistant secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Office of Consular Affairs.

He also served as assistant secretary of the West Philippine Sea Center in the DFA and the secretary-general of the Commission on Maritime and Ocean Affairs Secretariat.

Bensurto, a lawyer, was also part of the Philippine team that filed the arbitration case against China on the West Philippine Sea.He served as the Philippines’ consul general to San Francisco from 2014 to 2020.

The Philippines had sent an 82-man contingent to Turkey to assist in the response following the magnitude-7.8 earthquake last month.

Marcos also appointed Wilfredo Mallari as undersecretary at the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.

Hernando Caraig Jr. has been named deputy administrator at the Department of National Defense.

Francis Jude Lauengco was appointed assistant director-general at the National Security Council, while Cornelo Valencia Jr., Cyril Cusi and Ruperta Salvanera were named directors.

The President also named new members of the Department of Labor and Employment’s National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council. They were Renato Almeda, who represents the employers’ sector; Luis Corral and Roland dela Cruz, both representing the labor sector.

Marcos also named new acting members of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority, representing the private sector in the Board of Directors. They were Deolito Alvarez, Annabel Pulvera-Page and Rory Jon Sepulveda.

The President named McDonald Galit as director at the Department of Agrarian Reform.

Ariodera Rico and Juana Tapel were likewise appointed as directors at the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Engineering and Alvin Leal at the DA’s National Meat Inspection Service.

Angelina Carreon, Jovencio Ferrer Jr., Baron Jose Lagran and Jerry Tizon were named directors at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

The President appointed as directors Fhillip Sawali at the Department of Trade and Industry; Alim Pangandaman at the Department of Transportation and Richard Dayag at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

Marcos named as chief superintendent Alma Abacahin and Manuel Golino at the Bureau of Fire Protection, which is under the Department of the Interior and Local Government. – Paolo Romero