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Interesting appointments

There is something amusing in the latest batch of appointments of President Aquino.

Alex Magno; Ronald Llamas

Like in the high-paying positions of Board of Directors of the Development Bank of the Philippines. Gloria Arroyo defender and Philippine Star columnist Alex Magno is out. Ronald Llamas of Akbayan is in.

I don’t know if Llamas specifically asked for DBP because of Magno but the mere mention of the names of the two reminds me of their verbal wrestling many years ago.

Magno greeted Llamas: “Hello, the last of the socialist.”
Llamas replied: “Hello, the first of the opportunist.”


I would like very much to witness an updated encounter of the two.

Aside from Llamas, the new DBP board is composed of Jose A. Nuñez Jr a chairman vice Patricia Sto. Tomas; Francisco D. del Rosario Jr as president and chief executive officer vice Mike Arroyo best friend Reynaldo David; members Jose Luis L. Vera ; Jose Antonio U. Periquet; Daniel Y. Laoagan; Juan Kevin G.Belmonte and Cecilio B. Lorenzo.

Another significant appointment is that of former Senator Leticia Ramos Shahani as member of the board of the Manila Economic and Cultural office, the country’s de-facto embassy consulate in Taiwan. It’s one of the most coveted position because it pays handsomely.

Although the President appoints the officials of MECO, it is not considered a government office because of the country’s One –China policy.

The Ramos family has deep connections with Taiwan. Shahani’s father, former Foreign Minister Narciso Ramos, served as ambassador to Taipei before the Philippines adopted the One-China policy.

Shahani; Arenas
But what caught my naughty eye about Shahani’s appointment to MECO is that Rosemary “Baby” Arenas is MECO member of the board courtesy of Gloria Arroyo. I understand she is still in the board as “hold-over.” Of course you know who Arenas is.

Another Aquino appointee to the Meco board is lawyer Bienvenido Benitez. Filipino-Chinese anti-crime activist Teresita Ang See was also appointed to the board but I learned that she declined it because of her other commitments. But Ang See is a member of the committee that is investigating the Aug. 23 hostage debacle that resulted in the death of 8 of the 25 Hongkong tourists.

The much awaited Truth Commission in addition to its chair, former Chief Justice Hilario Davide. Aquino has appointed former Supreme Court Justice Flerida Ruth Romero and former Comelec Commissioner Mehol Sadain.

The appointment of Sadain gives us hope that the Truth Commission would take up the cheating in the 2005 elections because he was at the Comelec at that time. He should know what really happened.

After having been bypassed for the positions of Education Secretary, Tourism Secretary and Solicitor General, lawyer Andres Bautista, who had resigned as vice president of the Shangrila Hotels and Resorts, is the chair of the Presidential Commission on Good Government. He replaces Camilo Sabio.

Andy Bautista, brother of doctor Martin Bautista , who was in the Liberal party senatorial ticket last election, was dean of the Far Eastern University College of Law. It is expected that with Bautista at the helm of PCGG, credibility of the agency tasked to recover Marcos ill-gotten wealth, would be restored.

Former trade and Industry Secretary Juan B. Santos, who was initially offered the position of foreign affairs secretary but lost it due to intensive lobbying of Alberto Romulo, has been appointed chairman of the Social Security Commission vice retired General Thelmo Cunanan.

Santos was former chief executive officer of Nestle Philippines.

Published inMalayaMarcos

29 Comments

  1. chi chi

    Anak ng tipaklong, ang lalim ng konek sa Taiwan!

  2. martinsampaga martinsampaga

    mga bomoto ky Noynoy! hayan napala ninyo, kung kurakot ang mga ARROYO, eh may sigonda palang kapalpakan itong binoto ninyo! sabagay, kapamilya naman kayo at mahina ang utak! madasalin lang ang tao, eh yan pala ang quality ng choices ninyo! hahahahahha… sa milyones na bumoto ky Pnoy, yan ang bilang ng mga “immature”voters sa mahal ko na bansang PILIPINAS! ilan ba ang bumoto ky Richard Gordon? kaunti lang, “few and the proud ika nga”,at least may silbi….

  3. chi chi

    First time I heard most of the names here, will be watching them closely. Bautista…hmmm let’s see, mukhang ayos naman. Santos belongs to the Balay faction?

    Hi Ellen, would you mind giving us a little info about Sadain? TY mucho.

  4. Gordon? hhahaha! mas kurakot pa kay gloria kung nagkataon, siya pa mismo ang hihingi ng tongpats! 🙂

  5. chi chi

    martin,

    Hinay-hinay ka hijo, walang mahina-utak dito sa Ellenville. Hindi tatagal ito ng mahigit na anim na taon yata kung puro kami bobos at bobas dito. Naliligaw ka yata….hehehe. Tsaka puro issues at konek na mga tao ang pinag-uusapan dito at hindi binibira personal ang mga commenters. FYI, hindi lahat ay bumuto sa hate mo na PNoy at kung bumuto man e sya na ang presidente ngayon, ano?

  6. @chi,
    parang ayos din sa akin…sayang lang si JB Santos, he has an impressive track record, hindi lang mga pinoy ang bilib sa kanya pati mga dayuhan…mabait pero strikto, magmatigas kayo kesehodang ipasara buong planta kaya niyang desisyunan, and he wakes up early – he’s a golfer…

  7. martin,
    hala sige magsama kayo ng predente mong si gordon, gumawa kay ng sarili nyong bansa, may ibang flag, dun na lang kayo pumwesto sa payatas kasi hindi na kayo pwede sa subic, at ipakita nyo ang galing nyo… 🙂

  8. chi chi

    @jug, I’m not familiar with Santos but anytime sya sa akin vise Berto, natalo lang sa turf-war. Baka his expertise is needed at SSS for the sake of our workers and retired oldies. Ganyan talaga ang politics, meron dun at meron dito, but I still hope and pray that PNoy will go beyond this power play of his factions.

  9. One of the idiosyncracies of being single is that you don’t really plan too much…having children transforms a man, makes him plan…

  10. Noynoy should have put JB Santos close to him, he could learn a lot from this man re work ethics, problem solving, planning, etc…

  11. Santos was offered the position of ambassador to Washington D.C. when P-Noy took back the position of secretry of foreign affairs.

    He is not enthusiastic serving under Romulo.

  12. re #10. Sana, Jug. Sana.

  13. balweg balweg

    Ano nga pala ang patutsada ni PeNOY…tayo DAW PO ang BOSS nýa. Well, kung ganito ang senaryo e bakit halos ang mga appointed niya e mukhang mga dating haragan?

    Recycled tradpols at evil socialites…wala na bang bagong mukha coming from 90M Pinoys? Paano titino at gaganda ang takbo ng Pinas e mga kaaway ng lipunan ang siya niyang inilalagay sa pwesto.

    Susmaryosep naman, nagbabayad na ba siya ng pabor-suporta na ibigay sa kanya ng mga known kicked-out civil socialites and their cohorts.

    Hala sige…nakini-kinita ko na di ka aabot ng 6 years sa Malacanang, magiging panot ang bumbunan mo PeNOY sa problemang ihahasik ng mga pasaway na yan.

  14. martinsampaga martinsampaga

    wow! galit sila… sabagay, kanya kanyang sagotan na rin kung ikaw ay kabilang sa numero na nagpa number 1 ky Pnoy…hhahahhaha
    lahat kayo may katwiran,hindi na oras para magdebate, tingnan nyo nalang nangyayari, mga parehong tao na bumoto ky GLORIA dati, ganun din ngayon! may pinagka-iba nga lang, si Gloria mataray,heto naman si Pnoy mangitiin…Si kurakot at si sablay… sa isa dyan na nagsabi na si Gordon kurakot pa sa kanyang presidente na si Gloria; sabagay, hanggang dyan ka lang din naman, isinilang ka na kasi na maunlad ang syudad ninyo kaya ka nagsasabi ng ganyan…kami nag simula sa wala, nung PINALAYAS ninyo ang mga amerkano dahil sa pagkamakabayan ninyo, na-iwan kami at nahayaan at bagsak kami sa pagka makabayan ninyo…..nung mag umpisa simulan ang pag develop ng SBMA, umabot ng ilang taon bago nakamit ang pagkaiba, the rest is history…di ako mayabang para e display lahat ng nagawa ng KANDIDATO KO,mahaba masyado! e kumpara mo nlang ang kandidato mo sa resume ng kandidato ko! hahahahhaha…

    Isang issue lang kung saan LAMANG ang kandidato mo, sya ay MADASALIN, sa akin HINDI! hhahahahhaha

  15. chi chi

    Ellen, siguro naman walang matinong tao na gaya ni Santos ang gustong mag-serve under Berto? 🙂 Sori sa ibang matitino, di ko kayo kilala, hehehe!

  16. Isagani Isagani

    Martin, tapos na eleksyon, ok? Fyi, ok rin sana si Gordon(magaling magsalita, up grad, etc.) pero ano magagawa mo sa malakas na agos ng simpatiya ng taumbayan sa mga Aquino(Cory/Nonoy)? Sinusubok nga si Nonoy at medyo malabo ang simula, pero let’s give him our support dahil siya ang presidente natin ngayon. And he won honestly and convincingly!

    Don’t be a sore loser. Let’s move on na. Palagay ko, umabante na rin si Dick, kung ang uri ng pagkatao niya ay tulad ng paniniwala mo.

  17. Isagani Isagani

    Ito namang mga bagong appointments ni Noynoy, wala namang panibago sa usual sikohan. At least wala akong kilalang garapal na magnanakaw o kurakot.

  18. martinsampaga martinsampaga

    Isagani, naka move on na ako at di malaking bagay ang pagkatalo ni Dick kasi alam ko na nasa edad pa rin naman siya para magsilbi sa bayan sa iba pang paraan, sana after a year, makuha din sya ni Pnoy as one of his cabinet members….Akin lang kasi, kaya ako napa bigla at napa comment ng padalos dalos, ay paalala lamang na sa mga kababayan na sana dapat huwag padala sa pangalan at kasikatan para ihalal ang isang kandidato….tayo din naman ang losers pag may maling maka upo sa mataas na pwesto na iyan….

  19. martinsampaga martinsampaga

    FYI isagani…sabagay, di naman siguro magbibigay appointment si Pnoy ng mga kilalang kurakot… Pero, isipin ulit natin na si Dating 1st Gentleman, sa unang taon niya na bilang asawa ng dating pangulo, KILALA SYA NA MABAIT,sa kabila ng mga expose,natagalan bago gumising at naniniwala ang bayan….

  20. Isagani Isagani

    martin, di naman sa kung ano pa man, pero sa palagay ko naplano na ng mag-asawang Arroyo kung papaano sila magpapayaman gamit ang puwesto ng presidente. Alam mo, bihira ka naman makakita ng traydor na salbahe. Siyempre mabait sa harap upang mapagtakpan ang masamang layunin. Sabi nga di naman tayo pinanganak kahapon, diba?

    Nasisiguro ko na may bulok na tao diyan sa mga noynoy loyalist at lalabas din ang mga yan. Ang mahalaga ay kung ano ang gagawain ni noynoy kapag nabisto ang mga ito. Sakaling pagtakpan niya ang mga ito, masasabi natin na nasa estero na naman ang pamamangka natin.

    Let’s pray that this new administration succeed in its programs to promote the welfare and well being of our countrymen, martin. Kailangan natin ng tulong mula sa langit.

  21. martin,

    I’m sorry about what I said about Gordon, I just wanted to spite you…its not what I feel about the man…in fact he was my bet for president originally, but when he is allowed to speak, his “reverse charm” comes out and he inspires resentment and loathing instead of something positive. He will never win in elections and only those who can stand his overbearing personality will stick it out with him (those with low self esteem)…but the guy is a master of disaster, when things are fucked up, I mean total snafu, he will really shine, and he’s brand of dictatorial management will work out perfectly…

  22. oystermushroom oystermushroom

    I guess all those appointed are there for a reason, whatever that may be. Of course at first glance you’d see people who are really deserving and are qualified. On the other hand you’d also see recycled ones and non-deserving ones. So in this case I hold judgement. Lets wait and see how they perform and praise good results and go down hard on inept and incompetent ones. This also means the appointing power gets the flak.

    Thanks Jugg for you comments on the previous post.

  23. In my view, Sen Shahani is highly qualified for the job as member of the board… Congratulations, Senator!

  24. sychitpin sychitpin

    kung hindi ako nagkakamali si gordon ang nagpakawala kay joc joc bolante from senate custody, kinain na rin siya ng maruming pulitika

    si mike arroyo naman, unang araw pa lang ni gma, may Tongpats na siya kasabwat ni Nanie Perez, sosyo sila Mike Arroyo at Nanie Perez sa maraming bagay

  25. martinsampaga martinsampaga

    sychitpin, ang nagpakawala ky joc joc bolante mula sa custody ng senado ay mismo mga senador…hindi naman kasi husgado ang senado para sila magpakulong ng mga tao, pinakulong sya sa custody ng senado upang hindi sya lumayo at umiwas kung sakaling may sesyon tungkol sa fertilizer funds….. sino ba nagpa-upo ky ginang arroyo??? mga kilalang personalidad din parehas sa nagpa-upo sa bagong administrasyon ngayon…

  26. Tama. Kasama diyan si Gordon. hihihi.

  27. dan dan

    anyway martin pareho namang atenista si gordon at Pnoy e he he pero in fairness kay gordon alam kong naging maayos ang naging pamamalakad nya sa Olongapo. D rin natin matatawaran ang nagawa nya sa Tourism sa WOW philippines umunlad ang ating turismo during his time at tingin ko may kalibre siya in case na humawak siya sa national position.
    Same with Pnoy alam kong gusto talaga nya ng pagbabagao so bigyan natin siya ng benifit of time to settle his administration kasi alam naman nating nobody is perfect nandyan pa rin ang mga kalawang ng dating administrasyon kagaya ng ombudsman, meron din sa SC na hindi sakop ng kanyang power etc etc….. Siguro after his 100 days pwede na tayong bumatikos kung wala pa ring pagbabago at sana suportahan na lang natin at this point in time kasi sya ang presidente natin ngayon at siya ang binoto ng mas nakararaming pilipino. Sa totoo lang ang binoto kong presidente ay hindi rin pinalad pero ganon talaga majority wins so we have to accept it at e respeto sana natin.

  28. dan dan

    Jug re;Gordon can you elaborate?

    his “reverse charm” comes out and he inspires resentment and loathing instead of something positive.

  29. kapinoyan kapinoyan

    Mehol Sadain was not appointed to the Truth Commission. Named instead is a lawyer from Ateneo and chummy of ES Ochoa, Meynard Guevara.

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