A former Estrada political adviser and a former militant lawmaker have been tapped by President Duterte to join his Cabinet.
Duterte has appointed former National Food Authority head Angelito Banayo as managing director and resident representative of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office and former Gabriela party list Rep. Liza Masa as chairperson of the National Anti-Poverty Commission.
Banayo, an economics graduate of Colegio de San Juan de Letran Manila, served as NFA administrator during the Aquino administration. “He will now head MECO, the Philippines’ representative office in Taiwan, functioning as a de facto embassy in the absence of diplomatic relations,” a Palace statement said.
Masa is a staunch advocate for the protection of the welfare of the poor and marginalized. She previously served as representative of the Gabriela party-list group, authoring 53 bills and 120 resolutions in the 13th and 14th Congress.
Malacañang has also confirmed the appointment of Atty. Rodolfo Salalima as Secretary of the newly created Department of Information and Communication Technology.
Salalima was a former chief legal counsel and senior vice president for corporate affairs of Globe Telecom Inc. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)