PNoy names two new CHED commissioners

President Aquino named Dr. Minella Alarcon and Dr. Alex Brillantes Jr. to replace Dr. Nenalyn Defesor and Dr. Nona Ricafort who both served the two maximum allowable terms as commissioner. Alarcon and Brillante's terms will expire on July 21, 2017.

 

Alarcon has a Ph.D. and B.S. in Physics from the University of the Philippines, Diliman and an M.S. in Physics from the Ateneo de Manila University.  

 

She spent 20 years as faculty member of the Physics Department of the ADMU where she eventually served as associate professor and chairperson. 

 

Alarcon’s long established work in the field of Physics led to her appointment as Science Programme Specialist in the United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Regional Office in Jakarta. 

 

She also worked in the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris where she was Senior Program Specialist working in Science and Technology Education and Technical Capacity-Building until her retirement in 2010.

 

CHED chairperson Patricia Licuanan said the timely appointment of Alarcon, "will assist Ched in its efforts to develop S&T (Science and Technology) programs necessary to produce technologically oriented professionals and increase the research and development capacity of Philippine higher education institutions in anticipation of ASEAN 2015."

 

On the other hand, Brillantes is a political scientist, professor and former dean of the University of the Philippines - National College of Public Administration and Governance. 

 

He obtained his Ph.D. and M.A. in Political Science from the University of Hawaii and his B.A. in Political Science and M.A. in Public Administration from the U.P. Diliman.

 

"He will be instrumental in overseeing the alignment of state universities and colleges with the Public Higher Education Roadmap of the Aquino administration," Licuanan said.