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Silvestre Bello is new Cabinet secretary


MANILA, Philippines - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has named former Justice secretary and peace negotiator Silvestre H. Bello III as Cabinet secretary to replace Ricardo L. Saludo, who was earlier appointed chairman of the Civil Service Commission (CSC). In a statement, outgoing Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said Mr. Bello will assume his post once Mr. Saludo secures a confirmation from the Commission on Appointments as CSC chairman. Mr. Bello is currently Presidential Adviser on New Government Centers. He served as chairman of the government panel holding talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front from 2001 to 2004. He was former undersecretary of the Department of Justice during the time of President Corazon C. Aquino, and was named Justice Secretary during the term of former President Joseph E. Estrada. He also served as Solicitor General from 1996 to 1998. The post of Cabinet secretary was created on Dec. 22, 1986 to maximize the services of the Cabinet to the President. As Secretary to the Cabinet, Mr. Bello will be tasked to head the Cabinet secretariat, which helps the President in establishing the agenda of Cabinet meetings. Last month, Executive Secretary Eduardo R. Ermita announced the appointment of Mr. Saludo as CSC chairman to replace Karina C. David, who retired in March after a seven-year term. Ms. David scored the supposed inefficiency and corruption in the bureaucracy before her retirement. She said the bureaucracy remains bloated and inefficient even if it has the biggest single budget allocation. Meanwhile, a committee of the Commission on Appointments on Tuesday recommended the confirmation of Rolando G. Andaya, Jr. as Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management. The committee on budget and management, headed by Senator Manuel A. Roxas II, endorsed Mr. Andaya’s confirmation. Plenary approval of his ad interim appointment is yet to be scheduled. An ad interim appointment is made by the President when Congress is not in session. Mr. Andaya was former representative of Camarines Sur and former chairman of the committee on appropriations. He was also a corporate lawyer of the Securities and Exchange Commission. - A. D. B. Romero and B. U. Allauigan, BusinessWorld
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