Former labor usec back in government

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has given a new post to a left-leaning labor official he fired last year even as he criticized groups allegedly agitating workers to stage strikes. 

Duterte has appointed former labor undersecretary Joel Maglunsod as executive director III of the labor department’s National Maritime Polytechnic, documents released by Malacañang yesterday showed. 

Maglunsod was one of the left-leaning officials appointed by Duterte as a gesture of goodwill to pave the way for the peace talks with communist rebels. 

Last October, Duterte announced that he had dismissed Maglunsod from his post but did not state his reasons for doing so.

The President made the announcement as he was lambasting groups that were supposedly agitating workers to stage strikes that could paralyze the economy. 

Duterte mentioned again the firing of Maglunsod in a speech before tricycle operators and drivers in Pasay last Jan. 23. 

“So what’s the f***. We have been at war for 52 years. Do you mean to say you would win if given another 52 years? And you radicals believe in (Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria) Sison... Ayan ‘yan si Maglunsod, ’yung sa – tinanggal ko na (This Maglunsod, I fired him),” Duterte said. 

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo could not say why Duterte gave Maglunsod another chance in public service. 

“I’ll check with him (Duterte),” Panelo said at a press briefing when asked why the dismissed labor official was reappointed. 

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III yesterday defended the appointment of Maglunsod.

Bello said he sees nothing wrong with President Duterte’s opting to reappoint Maglunsod.

“I think the President decided to appoint him to the NMP because he fits the position,” Bello said as he stressed that Maglunsod was not removed from his previous position.

New appointees

Maglunsod is one of the newest appointees of Duterte.

Two of the appointees are diplomats while two are Cabinet members given ad interim appointments. 

Noel Eugene Eusebio Servigon was named permanent representative to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations while Ma. Teresita Daza was appointed ambassador to Chile with concurrent jurisdiction over Ecuador and Peru. 

Ad interim Cabinet members were Interior Secretary Eduardo Año and Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista. 

Also appointed was Ana Dione, who replaced Maglunsod as labor undersecretary. 

Other new appointees were commissioners Kelvin Lester Lee (Securities and Exchange Commission) and Aileen Lizada (Civil Service Commission); members Francis Laurel (University of the Philippines board of regents), Antonio Gardiola Jr. (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board), Paul Cervantes (Energy Regulatory Commission), Rodolfo Drapete (Professional Regulatory Board of Dentistry); Alain Russ Dimzon (part-time commissioner of the Commission on the Filipino Language), Daryll Bryan Villanueva (board member of the Bataan Shipyard and Engineering Company Inc.), Salome Siaton (director IV of the labor department), Melissa Yan (deputy executive director IV of the Government Procurement Policy Board-Technical Support Office), Elmira Caisido (deputy executive director IV of the Government Procurement Policy Board-Technical Support Office), Edgardo Quiros (assistant director of the National Library of the Philippines) and Ma. Felina Yu (state solicitor II). –  With Mayen Jaymalin