Aquino appoints personal optometrist Sarabia to PRC

President Benigno Aquino III has appointed his personal optometrist as a member of the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC)’s Optometry Board, Malacañang said on Thursday. Prominent optometrist Vivian Sarabia, who has been making eyeglasses for Aquino in the past ten years, was sworn in on Thursday as member of the PRC Optometry Board, along with 32 other new officials of the executive branch in a mass oath-taking ceremony in Malacañang, according to a news release from the newly formed Presidential Communications Operations Office. Sarabia’s family has been making the eyeglasses of all Philippine presidents since the time of Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon. Sarabia herself made a new pair for President Aquino to wear during his oath-taking ceremony last June 30. (See: Noynoy to unveil new pair of iconic glasses) Last April, then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo drew flak for appointing her manicurist, Anita Carpon, as board member of the PAG-IBIG Housing Fund. (See: Arroyo's manicurist named Pag-IBIG board member, Palace confirms) Other new appointees The President likewise reappointed Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, daughter of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, as undersecretary for the Department of Agriculture. Former swimming champion Akiko Thomson-Guevarra, former basketball star Joaquin “Chito" Loyzaga, and former tennis association head Salvador Andrada were meanwhile sworn in as commissioners of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). Among the other executive officials sworn in on Thursday were:

• Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Adrian S. Cristobal Jr.
• DTI Acting Assistant Secretary Jesus Lorenzo R. Mateo
• Deputy Director General Margarita R. Songco of the National Economic and Development Authority for the National Development Office
• Chief of Staff Benjamin Martinez Jr. of the Office of Vice President Binay
• Agriculture Undersecretaries Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Antonio Fleta, Joel Rudinas and Claron Alcantara
• Agriculture Assistant Secretaries Dennis Araullo, Salvador Salacup, Eduardo Nolasco and Allan Quimson Umali
• Department of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Ernesto Adobo Jr.
• Peter Anthony Aguinaldo Abaya, General Manager and CEO of the Philippine Reclamation Authority
• Antonio Buendia Jr., president of the Philippine Aerospace Development Corp.
• Rafael Rodriguez, Administrator of the Light Rail Transit Authority
• Emerson Benitez, Deputy Administrator LRTA
• Aproniano Boongaling Jr., board member of the Manila International Airport Authority
• Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas
• Francisco Manuel Gatmaitan Joaquin III, member of the PCSO board of directors
• National Intelligence Coordinating Agency assistant director general Filinila Balitaan
• Zenaida Brosas, assistant director general of the National Security Council
• Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Ricardo R. Garcia
• Ambassador Miguel Alvarez Perez-Rubio, presidential chief protocol
• Ricardo Paras III, Chief State Legal Counsel
• Ruben Fondevilla and Pastpr Benvidez, Assistant Chief State Legal Counsels
• Justice Undersecretary Francisco Faraan III
• Justice Assistant Secretary for Finance and Management Zebedin Azis

Later in the day, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda also announced that lawyer Teofilo Abejo II, former legal counsel for the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) has been named as the private representative to the Toll Regulatory Board.—Andreo C. Calonzo/JV, GMANews.TV