Arroyo bares new round of Cabinet shuffle before polls

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Monday announced a new Cabinet reshuffle affecting two departments, two months before the May 10 elections.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus will be heading the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), while Trade Secretary Peter Favila will become a member of the central bank’s Monetary Board (MB), Mrs. Arroyo said in her speech during the celebration of International Women’s Day at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

Lapus will be replaced by Presidential Assistant on Education Mona Dumlao-Valisno.

Favila, who as Trade chief was the government representative in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ seven-member Monetary Board, will now represent the interests of entrepreneurs or small businessmen on the board, the President said.

In her speech, Mrs. Arroyo referred to Favila as “outgoing Trade secretary and incoming [Monetary] Board member” and to Lapus as “outgoing Education secretary and incoming Trade secretary.”

Under the 1987 Constitution, the President is banned from appointing officials — except for temporary appointments when vacancies “will prejudice public service or endanger public safety” — two months before the elections.

The elections will take place on May 10, which means Mrs. Arroyo has until March 10 to reorganize her Cabinet.

Last week, several new Cabinet members were named following a Supreme Court ruling that appointed government officials running in the upcoming elections are deemed resigned.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who is running for congressman of Batangas, was replaced by Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza.

Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) Administrator Elena Bautista was named chief of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) in place of Hermogenes Esperon, who is seeking a House seat as Pangasinan representative.

President Arroyo also appointed Solicitor-General Alberto Agra to replace Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera. Agra will serve concurrently as the government’s top lawyer.

Mrs. Arroyo named Agriculture Undersecretary Bernardo Fondevilla as the department’s new secretary in place of Arthur Yap, while Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) chief Augusto Syjuco Jr. will be replaced by his deputy, Rogelio Peyuan.

Devanadera, Yap, and Syjuco are running for congressional seats in Quezon, Bohol, and Iloilo, respectively.

Being “considered” as replacements for resigned Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya and chief presidential legal adviser Raul Gonzalez are Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Joaquin Lagonera and deputy chief presidential counsel Natividad Dizon, respectively, Ermita said last week.

At the time, Ermita said Lagonera and Dizon were still being considered because they had not been informed about their appointments.

Andaya is running for congressman of Camarines Sur, while Gonzalez, a former Justice secretary, is eyeing a mayoralty post in his home city of Iloilo.

The resigned officials were expected to turn over their posts on Monday.

• GMANews.TV