Two undersecretaries and three assistant secretaries of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) who are currently occupying career positions will remain when the new chief of the department assumes post on June 30.
Outgoing DILG Secretary Eduardo Año revealed this on Sunday, May 15, when pressed if he received information about the other possible changes in the organization of the department.
On May 13, former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman and campaign manager of presumptive President Ferdinand “BongBong” Marcos Jr. Ben-Hur Abalos was appointed as Año’s successor.
When pressed further, Año remained mum on the DILG undersecretaries and assistant secretaries who hold government career positions.
Currently there are seven DILG undersecretaries namely Marlo Iringan, Epimaco Densing III, Jonathan Malaya, Bernardo Florece Jr., Nestor Quinsay Jr., Martin Diño and marjorie Jalosjos.
On the other hand, the nine DILG assistant secretaries include Ester Aldana, Francisco Cruz, Florida Dijan, Odilon Pasaraba, Roosque Calacat, Manuel Felix, Alexander Macario, Marcelo Morales and Victor Luis Neri.
Meanwhile, Año described Abalos as very qualified to head the department adding that the DILG organization including its attached agencies welcomes his appointment by presumptive President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
In a statement, Año noted that he has worked with Abalos when he was MMDA chairman at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic “and we have seen how he ably steered the Covid-19 pandemic response in the National Capital Region (NCR).
He emphasized that the team-up of the DILG and the MMDA has paved the way “to the downward trend of coronavirus cases and the successful roll-out of the vaccination program in Metro Manila.’’
“We are confident that as a former City Mayor of Mandaluyong and MMDA chairperson, Abalos will be able to provide good direction and leadership to both the interior and local government sectors in scaling up their performance in peace and order, public safety and local governance for the benefit of the Filipino people,’’ Año said.
Año remains hopeful that Abalos will continue to build on the ongoing campaign against “criminality, illegal drugs, corruption and communist terrorism that we have focused on and which has reached unprecedented heights of accomplishment in the past six years.’’
“We commit to work closely with him and his transition team for the smooth turnover of responsibilities especially with the implementation of full devolution to local government units (LGUs) which started this year,’’ he added. (Chito A. Chavez)