By Argyll Cyrus Geducos
President Duterte has named Monica (Nikki) Prieto-Teodoro, the wife of former defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, as his representative to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Based on her appointment papers signed March 7, Teodoro will serve as Special Envoy of the President to the UNICEF from September 26, 2017 to September 27, 2018.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte shows a gesture of appreciation to Monica Louise Prieto-Teodoro following the turnover of the deed of donation to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Malacañan Palace on August 15, 2017. Also in the photo are Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and AFP Chief of Staff General Eduardo Año.
(ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
This was not the first time the former Tarlac representative was linked to the present administration. In August last year, Duterte met with Teodoro in Malacañang after the former commercial model represented the Golden Rooster Foundation during the signing of the deed of donation of binoculars to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Only a few days after her meeting with the President, Teodoro's name was also floated as among those who might replace Judy Taguiwalo as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) after being rejected by the Commission on Appointments (CA).
However, in the Twitter poll created by Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary (Asec) Margaux (Mocha) Uson, Teodoro placed last among the names given. Topping the poll with 12,166 or 82 percent of the total number votes was Vice President Leni Robredo.
As a lawmaker, Prieto authored several bills for the protection of children. These include the Anti-Child Pornography Act and the Anti-Corporal Punishment Act. She also headed the House Committee on the Welfare of Children in the 14th Congress.
Honeylet's cousin reappointed
Aside from Teodoro, Duterte also named Melissa Avanceña Aradanas, the cousin of his common-law wife Honeylet, as Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) deputy secretary general, replacing Patrocinio Jude Esguerra III.
Aradanas' appointment came three months after she was sacked ,along with other officials of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP), reportedly for their excessive and unnecessary trips abroad.
"Pati siya tinanggal ko (I also removed her). But I told my wife, 'You call your cousin and say, alis sila (they should go),'" Duterte said in his speech during the Malacañang Press Corps Christmas party in December, 2017.
Other new appointees
Other new appointees of the President include Ma. Mercedes Dumagan, Felix Alicer, and Marcia Isip as directors at the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); and Lorina Noemi Silvino as member of the Cinema Evaluation Board of the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
Duterte also named Meizelle Antoni, Jennifer Santos, and Elenita Esguerra-Yu as labor arbiters at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE); and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) deputy director Valfrie Tabian as BuCor acting director-general.
The President also appointed Bruce Concepcion as Special Envoy on Transnational Crime at the Office of the President, and Nannette Villamor-Dinopol as deputy administrator at the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA).
Duterte named Arnelyn May Abdon, Euvimil Nina Asuncion, Lilia Tan, Emee Macabales, and Mark David Ablang, as directors at the Department of Finance (DOF).