PNoy swears in envoys to Japan, Holy See, ASEAN

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday inducted Philippine Ambassador to Japan Manuel "Manolo" Lopez and 10 other new government officials during ceremonies held at Malacañang’s Premier Guest House.

Aside from Lopez, the other officials who were sworn in by the President were:

• Mercedes Tuason, ambassador to the Holy See;
• Wilfrido Villacorta, permanent Representative of Philippines to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta, Indonesia;
• Imelda Nicolas, chairperson of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas;
• Edgar Galavante, acting executive director of the Dangerous Drugs Board;
• Felix William Fuentebella, commissioner of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board;
• Nariman Ambolodto, acting assistant secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government;
• Herminio Alcasid, member and chairman of the board of directors of the Philippine National Oil Company– Development and Management Corporation.

Alcasid is the father of singer-composer, actor, and TV host Ogie Alcasid.

Three officials of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process also took their oath before Aquino.

They are:

• Zenaida Brigida Hamada-Pawid, commissioner (representing Island Groups and the rest of the Visayas region);
• Dionesia Banua, commissioner (representing Island Groups and the rest of the Visayas region); and,
• Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman, executive director of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos.

The oathtaking was held after the President’s private meeting with Ryoki Sugita, chairman of Japanese publishing giant Nikkei, Inc.