Marcos reappointment of PPA chief lauded

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos’ reappointment of lawyer Jay Daniel Santiago as general manager of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is a “move in the right direction,” a consumer and anti-graft watchdog said yesterday.

The Action for Consumerism and Transparency in Nation Building (ACTION) welcomed the reappointment of Santiago.

The group lauded what it described as the President’s preference for efficiency in governance over political partisanship and patronage in choosing the members of his management team.

“We do need the brightest minds around if we are to propel the national economy forward. Santiago has proven his capability as a public servant and a bureaucratic manager,” Jake Silo, spokesperson for ACTION, said in a statement.

“PPA employees are happy to have their former boss back,” Silo added.

Marcos on Tuesday designated Santiago as PPA general manager, replacing Francisquiel Mancile who held the post in an acting capacity for two months.

A lawyer by profession, Santiago pushed for the modernization and digitalization of the PPA when he first headed the agency from July 2016 until June 2022.

He also served as director of the Maritime Industry Authority and vice president of the International Association of Ports and Harbors for Asia, South East and the Oceania.