By Genalyn Kabiling
President Duterte has appointed a new set of government officials, including retired military general Milfredo Melegrito as Deputy Director of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and former Ambassador Jose Eduardo Malaya III as Undersecretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (RICHARD MADELO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
The appointment papers of Melegrito and Malaya were signed by the President last month, and announced by the Palace Saturday.
Before his BuCor appointment, Brig. Gen. Melegrito served as deputy commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Northern Luzon Command. Melegrito, a member of Philippine Military Academy class of 1986, retired last July 2018.
The appointment of Melegrito comes amid the controversy over the implementation of a law allowing reduced jail term for inmates for good conduct.
Malaya, on the other hand, worked as Assistant Secretary of the DFA's Office of Treaties and Legal Affairs before being promoted to DFA Undersecretary. He was previously appointed as the Philippine ambassador to Malaysia.
Also appointed by the President are Brigido Dulay, Undersecretary of DFA; Blesila Lantayona, Undersecretary of Department of Trade and Industry; Victor del Rosario, member representing the National Youth Commission in the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) Appeals Committee; and Maria Graciela Gonzaga, member of the expert panel of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. board.
The three new members of the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council are Ellene Sana representing the labor sector as well as Kenneth Chua and Mary Ng representing the employers sector.
Other appointees are Elmer Beltejar, member of the CIIF Oil Mills Group board; Marichu Palafox, Assistant Secretary of Department of Public Works and Highways; Raul del Rosario, Administrator III of Office for Transportation Security; Azucena Milana-Dayanghirang, Executive Director III, National Nutrition Council; Evangeline Felecio, Director III of Department of Social Welfare and Development; Edwin Sicat, Director IV of the Malacañang Motor Pool Office; James Juper Aguilar, Director III of the Malacañang Records Office; Jose Ortega, Director IV of Department of Tourism; and Charish Paña, Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer I.