Arroyo names Congress ally as envoy to Italy

11/29/2009 | 06:36 PM
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has named a congressional ally as the country’s next envoy to Italy, a Malacañang official said on Sunday.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said President Arroyo designated Cebu City Rep. Antonio Cuenco as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Italy.

“You are hereby nominated as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Republic of Italy with rank and emoluments of Chief of Mission Class 2," Remonde said on government-run dzRB radio, reading from a directive of President Arroyo.

Cuenco, 73, presently chairs the House of Representatives’ committee on foreign relations. He is a member of the Promdi-BOPK-Lakas party and is on his third and last term.

On the other hand, Remonde said Tourism Secretary Ace Durano is no longer keen on running for an elective post next year and is likely to stay at his Cabinet post.

“Last time nag-usap kami, tinatanong ko siya, ayaw tumakbo. Mananatili si Ace sa Department of Tourism, which is good because he’s doing a good job there (Last time we talked, he was not keen on running. He will stay at the Department of Tourism, which is good because he is doing a good job there)," he said.

Remonde also disclosed that President Arroyo made permanent the appointment of Joel Tan Torres as Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) commissioner.

Other appointments included:

* Pilita Venturanza as deputy executive secretary for general administration, with rank of undersecretary;

* Salome Habal as head of the National Parks Development Committee; and

* Soledad Emilia Cruz (corporate operations office), Ma. Teresa Habitan (fiscal policy and planning office) and Ma. Lourdes Recente (research and information office) as Department of Finance assistant secretaries;

Remonde also reiterated the Palace has completed its list of possible appointments for Cabinet members who may quit their posts to run in 2010. He did not name them, saying he will do so at the proper time.

“We have a very deep bench, we have people to immediately replace them. In fact I already have the names of people we will replace but we will announce at the proper time," he said. - GMANews.TV

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