CA justice named new DOLE chief

Malacañang announced yesterday the appointment of Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Arturo Brion as the new labor secretary, replacing Patricia Sto. Tomas who will serve as chairwoman of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Brion will be formally assuming his post as secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on July 3 with Sto. Tomas moving out from the Cabinet to take her position as head of the DBP.

Bunye said Brion, a 1975 Bar topnotcher, previously served as DOLE undersecretary for labor relations in March 2001 before moving on to become undersecretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for special projects until June 2003.

The following month, Brion was appointed as senior magistrate of the CA’s 15th division.

Sto. Tomas, on the other hand, will still perform her official duties when she is scheduled to accompany President Arroyo in an official visit to Spain later this month.

She is expected to sign a memorandum agreement with her Spanish counterpart during the visit as her last official act in office.

The agreement, which will allow the migration of Filipino workers to Spain, is preparatory to the signing of a bilateral agreement between Manila and Madrid next year.

Bunye said Sto. Tomas had decided to cap her "brilliant career" as labor secretary and assume the chairmanship of DBP.

"President Arroyo acknowledges with sincere thanks Secretary Sto. Tomas’ accomplishments in sustaining employment through industrial peace, looking after the welfare of OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) and ensuring synergy among the tripartite partners —

labor, management and government — for faster growth through better cooperation," Bunye said.

He said Mrs. Arroyo has been proud of the achievements made by Sto. Tomas "which is a testimony to hard work, honesty and technical competence."

Sto. Tomas earlier announced her desire to resign from the Cabinet, citing health reasons. She is one of the longest serving Cabinet members of President Arroyo.

The President went on to look for a competent replacement for Sto. Tomas until Brion’s name cropped up on the list of recommendees.

Brion had the unique experience of serving in the executive department as undersecretary of Labor and DFA before serving as a ranking member of the judiciary.

A former member of the Interim Batasang Pambansa from 1984 to 1986, Brion was tapped by the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos to work as deputy minister of labor for legal and legislative affairs in 1985.

Brion finished his Bachelor of Laws at the Ateneo de Manila University as class valedictorian and cum laude in 1974.

The following year, Brion topped the Bar with a rating of 91.65 percent.

He also obtained his Master of Laws at the Osgoode Law School in York University, Toronto, Canada.

Shortly after passing the bar, Brion was accepted as senior partner of Siguion Reyna, Montecillo and Ongsiangko Law Offices, specializing in labor law practices.

From 1986 to 1998, Brion became a senior partner of Natividad, delos Reyes, Maambong and Brion Law Offices.

He also engaged in Canadian law practice as solicitor of the Legal Services Branch of the Management Board Secretariat and the Ministry of Labor, province of Ontario.

As undersecretary for labor relations, Brion headed the DOLE Labor Relations Cluster comprising the National Labor Relations Commission, National Conciliation and Mediation Board and Bureau of Labor Relations.

He also handled assumption of jurisdiction cases, prepared labor relations and labor standards decisions for the DOLE Secretary and represented the country in various international conferences on migration and overseas employment.

During his stint as DFA undersecretary for special projects, Brion headed the DFA Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat.

Brion was also a member of the faculty of the Ateneo de Manila University-College of Law, School of Labor and Industrial Relations of the University of the Philippines and Far Eastern University’s Institute of Law.

Brion is married to Antonietta Articona and they have two children, Antonella and Arturo Jr. — Aurea Calica