After being savagely ruined by the executive and legislative departments last year for approving a controversial Sugar Import Order, Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian, a career officer, was returned to DA in charge of Rice Industry Development. He is among new appointees reported by Malacañang today.
President Marcos has returned on February 8 resigned Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian to DA in charge of the Rice Industry Development, months after Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin cleared him of any wrongdoing related to the controversial Sugar Order allowing the importation of 300,000 metric tons last year.
Malacañang also announced today the appointment of Bienvenido Rubio as the new head of the Bureau of Customs (BOC)—replacing Yogi Filemon Ruiz who served the agency since July 2022 and lawyer Ella Bianca Lopez as the new commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).
Marcos also appointed Leonel Nicolas as chief of the Intelligence Service of the Philippine Army on Feb. 1.
Rubio, who hails from Batac City in Ilocos Norte, was previously BOC’s director for port operations service.
The Presidential Communications Office said Lopez was appointed to the NTC post on Feb. 7.
Prior to her appointment, Lopez served as officer in charge of the NTC after former Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba was appointed chair of the Commission on Audit. Lopez was a former deputy commissioner of the NTC.
The NTC is tasked to regulate, supervise and adjudicate all telecommunication, broadcast and radio communication facilities in the country.
The President serves as the concurrent agriculture secretary. Marcos also named Karen Kristine Roscom as director IV of the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards and Paul Limson as director IV of the Bureau of Animal Industry. He also designated Romeo Reyes, Josemari Hernando and Lita Rosales as directors of the Department of Agrarian Reform.
The President also appointed Arturo Baesa, Annie Geron, Angelita Señorin and Jesus Villamor as members, representing the labor sector at the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council of the Department of Labor and Employment.
Tags: #UsecLeocadioSebastian, #DA, #RiceIndustryDevelopment, #appointments