MANILA – Malacañang on Tuesday released the appointment papers of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, a day after they took their oath before President Rodrigo Duterte at the Malacañang Palace.
Año, former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, was appointed DILG undersecretary after he reached his mandatory military retirement age of 56 on Oct. 26, 2017.
On Jan. 4, 2018, Duterte appointed him as DILG officer-in-charge, replacing Undersecretary for Peace and Order Catalino Cuy.
Republic Act No. 6975 or DILG Act of 1990 states that “no retired or resigned military officer or police official may be appointed as Secretary within one year from the date of his retirement or resignation.”
Nograles, on the other hand, was congressman of Davao City prior to his appointment, replacing Leoncio “Jun” Evasco who filed his certificate of candidacy for governor of Bohol in the 2019 mid-term polls.
Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo announced the appointment of Noel Kinazo Felongco as lead convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) and Alvin San Juan Feliciano as chairperson of Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP).
Duterte named Felongco to replace left-leaning Liza Maza who resigned in August this year following the termination of peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front.
On the other hand, Feliciano took over the position vacated by Terry Ridon, also a leftist, who was sacked over his supposed excessive travels.
Recently, Duterte signed Executive Order No. 67 transferring NAPC and PCUP along with six other agencies from the Office of the President to different line departments.
NAPC and PCUP, along with National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, are now under the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, Philippine Commission on Women, and National Youth Commission have been transferred to the DILG.
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), now headed by former Customs chief Isidro Lapeña, and Cooperative Development Authority have been placed under the Department of Trade and Industry’s supervision. (/PNA)
