Lotilla out as DENR chief; Juan Miguel Cuna named as acting secretary

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has appointed Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna as the new acting secretary of the agency. 

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro made the announcement in a press briefing on Friday.

She said that outgoing DENR Secretary Raphael Lotilla was instead appointed as Philippine Ambassador to the Holy See.

“Hindi po siya nag-resign at hindi po siya pinag-resign (He did not resign and he was not asked to resign),” Castro said, referring to Lotilla.

Asked for a reason for the change in leadership at the DENR, the Palace Press Officer said, “According to what we have heard, ang sinabi po ay mas nais ngayon ni Secretary Lotilla ng (what Sec. Lotilla wants now is a) lighter assignment.”

“Ambassador to the Holy See, baka lagi po siyang magdarasal,” she added.

(He’s Ambassador to the Holy See, maybe he wants to pray often.) 

Last month, Castro said that the leadership of Lotilla was under review after he was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments (CA) for the third time.

Cuna, meanwhile, has experience working in various posts at the DENR for nearly two decades now, including being provincial environment and natural resources officer, assistant secretary, and undersecretary.

He was also a law professor at the Arellano Law Foundation, and served as director of the Office of the President’s Legislative Office, and legal officer of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office.

“Upang masiguro ang tuloy-tuloy na operasyon sa DENR, nagpapatuloy ang matiwasay na transisyon sa pagitan nina Secretary Lotilla at Cuna. Samantala, nagpapatuloy naman ang proseso ng pagpasa ng mga pangalan ng acting secretaries para sa kanilang confirmation,” Castro said. 

(To ensure continuous operations at the DENR, a smooth transition between Secretary Lotilla and Cuna is ongoing. The submission of names of the acting secretaries for their confirmation is also ongoing.) —AOL, GMA Integrated News