MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has appointed the cousin of his partner Honeylet Avanceña to the newly formed housing agency.
Melissa Avanceña Aradanas was named assistant secretary of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development on Jan. 21, a list of appointments that Malacañang released yesterday showed.
The agency, which was formed in February last year through Republic Act 11201, is the main planning and policymaking entity for all housing, human settlement and urban development concerns.
Aradanas was one of the officials of the Presidential Commission on Urban Poor who were fired in December 2017 over alleged unnecessary foreign trips. She was appointed deputy secretary general of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council three months later.
Malacañang, through then presidential spokesman Harry Roque, had defended Aradanas’ reappointment, saying “no one can question the inherent power of the President to appoint anyone.”
The Chief Executive also appointed former armed forces chief Benjamin Madrigal Jr. as member of the governing board of the Philippine Coconut Authority. Madrigal retired from the military service last September.
Meanwhile, Duterte renewed the appointment of Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado, who was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments last month.
The President also appointed Jaybee Arguillas as foreign service officer class III, Saidamen Pangarungan as amirul hajj or leader of hajj pilgrims for the 2020 annual hajj to Mecca and Maria Anthonette Allones as member of the Tourism Promotions Board.
Duterte also promoted several police officials, including National Capital Region Police Office chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas. He also named George Ursabia Jr. and Lyndon La Torre as coast guard vice admirals.