PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. has named several members of his Cabinet as representatives to the various committees of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – National Commission of the Philippines (UNACOM/ PH NatCom).
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Saturday night announced the appointments of Education Secretary Sonny Angara, Commission on Higher Education chairperson J. Prospero de Vera III, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General Jose Francisco Benitez, and Bangsamoro Education Minister Mohagber Iqbal as members of the UNACOM Committee on Education.
The President designated Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Philippine Commission on Women executive director Khay Ann Magundayao-Borlado, and National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa as members of the UNACOM Committee on Social and Human Sciences.
Marcos also named Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, acting Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque, National Museum of the Philippines director Jeremy Robert Barns, and National Commission for Culture and the Arts chairman Victorino Manalo as members of the UNACOM Committee on Culture.
Also appointed were Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga and Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. as members of the UNACOM Committee on Science and Technology members; Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino chairman Arthur Casanova, and National Academy of Science and Technology-Engineering Sciences and Technology and Division chairperson Alvin Culaba as members of the UNACOM Committee on Communication and Information.
UNACOM, or the PH NatCom, was established in 1951 through Republic Act 621 to honor the Philippines’ international commitment to UNESCO. It was later amended in 1953 through RA 892 in 1953 and in 1964 through RA 3849.
UNACOM was created to serve as an advisory and liaison body bridging the work of relevant Philippine partners to UNESCO’s own work in educational, scientific and cultural matters and concerns.
Its mandate also includes the dissemination of public information on UNESCO’s work and the formulation of policy feedback.
OTHER APPOINTMENTS
The PCO also announced the appointments of Sarah Mae Cruz, Jennifer Fandialan-Legaspi, and Jane Yu as assistant solicitor generals; Rosalinda Bautista as deputy national statistician; and Mariflor Castillo as special prosecutor at the Ombudsman’s office.
Also appointed were Felicitas Bay as Migrant Workers undersecretary; Farwa Hombre as Health assistant secretary; Rodolfo Castil Jr. as Agrarian Reform assistant secretary; Roger Masapol as Education assistant secretary; and Reymundo de Guzman Jr. as chairman of the Office of Transportation Cooperatives.
The other appointees were Silvestre Barrameda Jr., Yvonne Purisima Flores, and Juan Pulhin as new members of the Climate Change Commission’s People Survival Fund Board; Carmen Leonor Alcantara and Roy Mahinay as members of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council; Francisco Gil and Ericson Velasquez as members of the board of the Philippine Rice Research Institute’s Board of Trustees;
Dante Elcinas and Kenneth Fabila as members of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board; Glady Bunao a member of the National Authority for Child Care; Romeo Racadio as Director IV at the National Security Council; and Rosalinda Chiong as Director II at the National Bureau of Investigation.