Marcos appoints new envoys, gov’t officials 

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has appointed Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega as the country’s ambassador to France and the city-state of Monaco.

Besides foreign affairs for migration, De Vega also served as the Philippines’ envoy to Belgium and Luxembourg.

De Vega’s appointment and those of other envoys and government officials took effect on Nov. 14.

Malacañang released a list of the appointed government officials on Saturday.

Marcos also appointed Christopher Montero as the country’s ambassador to Indonesia. Montero previously served as ambassador to Brunei.

Patrick Chuasoto was named as ambassador to Sweden with concurrent jurisdiction over Latvia. Before his appointment, Chuasoto was assistant secretary for policy and coordination at the DFA.

The President also designated former Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Danton Bueser as a member of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s (SBMA) board of directors, representing the national government.

Bueser served in the CA from 2009 to 2021.

Marcos also named Maria Amifaith Fider-Reyes as a commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights.

Fider-Reyes was a former presiding judge of the Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 147. In January 2021, she inhibited herself from handling the second cyberlibel case against Rappler chief executive officer Maria Ressa after the judge received threats sent by email.

She also served as presiding judge of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga RTC Branch 42, where Fider-Reyes handled the syndicated estafa case against property developer Delfin Lee for the P6.6-billion housing anomaly involving Lee’s Globe Asiatique.

The President also designated ex-Deputy Government Corporate Counsel Elpidio Vega as chairperson and member of the board of trustees of the Metropolitan Waterworks System (MWSS).

Appointed gov’t officials

The other appointed government officials are: Jose Mari Ponce, member of the SBMA board of directors and representing the private sector; Nasser Halipa as member of the Department of Agrarian Reform representing land reform beneficiaries in Mindanao.

Rickee Lee Gerald Brieva and Joshua Agustin Soriano as presidential legislative liaison officer III; and Rey Zarate Jr. as presidential legislative liaison officer II of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office.

Engineer Leonor Cleofas as MWSS administrator and chief executive officer, and member of the MWSS board of trustees; engineer and ex-trade undersecretary Merly Cruz, engineer Dale Brian Go, and lawyer Jose Hernandez as members of the MWSS board of trustees.

Rogelio Chavez Jr. as member of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, representing the labor sector.

Lorna Belinda Calda as director III of the Department of Agriculture; Gerson Marvin Abesamis and Graciela Mendoza as director IV of the Department of Education; Ricky Arzadon as director IV and Vicente Leocadio Mariano Abella as director II of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Sabeniano Caliao Jr. as director III of the Department of Public Works and Highways; Jerico Namoro as director II of the Department of Trade and Industry; and Ernesto Raphael Robillo as director II of the Land Transportation Office.