Arroyo bares new round of Cabinet shuffle before polls

(Updated 7:03 PM) President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Monday announced a new Cabinet reshuffle affecting two departments, two months before the May 10 elections. Education Secretary Jesli Lapus will be heading the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), while Trade Secretary Peter Favila will become a member of the central bank’s Monetary Board (MB), Mrs. Arroyo said in her speech during the celebration of International Women’s Day at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. Lapus will be replaced by Presidential Assistant on Education Mona Dumlao-Valisno. Favila, who as Trade chief was the government representative in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ seven-member Monetary Board, will now represent the interests of entrepreneurs or small businessmen on the board, the President said. In her speech, Mrs. Arroyo referred to Favila as "outgoing Trade secretary and incoming [Monetary] Board member" and to Lapus as "outgoing Education secretary and incoming Trade secretary." Favila replaces retiring Monetary Board member Favila is expected to replace Raul Boncan, one of the MB’s nine members, who resigned because of his age, current MB member and former press secretary Ignacio Bunye said. “He is past 80 and he said he has already served," Bunye said. After serving a three-year term from January 2005 to July 2008, Boncan was reappointed for a fresh six-year term. “Since he (Favila) is serving the unexpired term of Raul Boncan, who has resigned, his term will end in July 2, 2014," Bunye said. An alumni of the University of Santo Tomas and the Wharton School of the University on Pennsylvannia, Favila was appointed as Trade Secretary in 2005. Besides being a member of the Advisory Council of the Asian Bankers Association, he also sits on the Board of Advisers of the Asian Institute of Management Policy Forum. He first joined government as Adviser for Infrastructure, Finance and Economy of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and later as chairman of the Philippine Stock Exchange. Favila is a former president of the Security Bank, Allied Bank, and the Philippine National Bank. He also served as Senior Vice President of the Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company. He was also a former director of the Asean Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Philippine Airlines, the Bankers Association of the Philippines, the Philippine Depository and Trust Corporation, the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, the Philippine International Trading Corporation, the Philippine Association of Smelting and Refinery Corporation, and the National Steel Group. Lapus to replace Favila Like Favila, Lapus is a banker, serving as the president and chief executive officer of the Land Bank of the Philippines — the country’s fourth-largest lender — from 1992 to 1998. He is also a former managing director of Truimph International-Philippines. He also served as auditor of SGV and Company, and chief finance officer of the Ramcar Group, and was appointed Undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture in 1987. In the meantime, Valisno is set to take over the education portfolio. Besides serving as Education undersecretary of then secretary Florencio Abad from September to November 2004, Valisno was also commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) from August 1994 to August 2001. Valisno currently sits as a member of the Board of Advisers of the CHEd and the Board of Directors of the Solar TV 9. She is also an acting member of the Committee on Social and Human Sciences of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Appointed officials running for office considered resigned Under the 1987 Constitution, the President is banned from appointing officials — except for temporary appointments when vacancies "will prejudice public service or endanger public safety" — two months before the elections. The elections will take place on May 10, which means Mrs. Arroyo has until March 10 to reorganize her Cabinet. Last week, several new Cabinet members were named following a Supreme Court ruling that appointed government officials running in the upcoming elections are deemed resigned. (See: Palace names replacements for resigned Cabinet officials) Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who is running for congressman of Batangas, was replaced by Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza. Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) Administrator Elena Bautista was named chief of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) in place of Hermogenes Esperon, who is seeking a House seat as Pangasinan representative. President Arroyo also appointed Solicitor-General Alberto Agra to replace Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera. Agra will serve concurrently as the government’s top lawyer. Mrs. Arroyo named Agriculture Undersecretary Bernardo Fondevilla as the department’s new secretary in place of Arthur Yap, while Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) chief Augusto Syjuco Jr. will be replaced by his deputy, Rogelio Peyuan. Devanadera, Yap, and Syjuco are running for congressional seats in Quezon, Bohol, and Iloilo, respectively. Being "considered" as replacements for resigned Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya and chief presidential legal adviser Raul Gonzalez are Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Joaquin Lagonera and deputy chief presidential counsel Natividad Dizon, respectively, Ermita said last week. At the time, Ermita said Lagonera and Dizon were still being considered because they had not been informed about their appointments. Andaya is running for congressman of Camarines Sur, while Gonzalez, a former Justice secretary, is eyeing a mayoralty post in his home city of Iloilo. The resigned officials were expected to turn over their posts on Monday. President to continue working hard with new Cabinet The President will continue working hard with new Cabinet members until the last day of her term, she said as she administered the oath of office to new members of her official family. She also renewed her commitment for a smooth transition to a new government, she said in a statement. No disruption will take place in the government’s agenda and programs despite these changes, deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar said. “It’s important to emphasize — as the President reshuffles her cabinet yet again, this time to replace departing candidates for elective office — it’s important to remind our people that its still business as usual at the Palace, as government carries on with the day to day governance of the nation," Olivar said. Most of the new Cabinet members are “deeply experienced public servants" who would ensure that the policies and programs of the administration, that “were set a long time ago… will continue to be carried out with vigor." - with Johanna Camille Sisante/RSJ/NPA/RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV