Ex-police general named as DDB chief
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed former police general Oscar Valenzuela as the new chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB). Valenzuela, a former undersecretary for Peace and Order of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), replaced Catalino Cuy, who has been DDB chairman since 2018. Valenzuela's appointment was announced by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) in a Facebook post Friday. Based on the list of new presidential appointees released by the PCO, Valenzuela will be the chairman and permanent member of the DDB, which is the policymaking and coordinating agency on all matters related to drug prevention and control in the country. As former DILG undersecretary for Peace and Order, Valenzuela has been at the forefront of various anti-narcotics campaigns. He has emphasized the need for a holistic and multi-sectoral approach to combating illegal drugs, focusing on reducing demand, disrupting supply chains, and prioritizing the rehabilitation and reintegration of drug dependents into society. Valenzuela has been a strong advocate for the Barangay Drug Clearing Program and the "Buhay Ingatan, Droga'y Ayawan" program, both of which aim to eradicate illegal drugs at the grassroots level. Before joining the DILG, Valenzuela was the Police Assistant Regional Director for Operations of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and provincial police chief of Ilocos Norte. Upon retirement from the Philippine National Police (PNP), he headed the National Terrorism Prevention Office of the Anti-Terrorism Council Program Management Center and was chairman of the Asia Pacific Economic Conference Counter-Terrorism Working Group. He also led the Philippine delegation to the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism in Washington, D.C. in 2015. Marcos also reappointed Roberto Manalo as the Philippines' non-resident ambassador to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, in addition to being ambassador to Iran with concurrent jurisdiction over Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Philippine Ambassadors Christopher Montero (Indonesia), Elizabeth Te (Laos), and Domingo Nolasco (non-resident ambassador to Estonia, in addition to being ambassador to Finland) were also on the list of new appointees. Montero, Te and Nolasco were among the 19 officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) whose ad interim appointments were confirmed by the Commission on Appointments on Tuesday. The president also named Fe del Rosario and Ian Dennis Baniqued as Executive Director IV and Director III, respectively, on the Board of Investments. The president also appointed Desiderio Apag III as a Commission on Higher Education commissioner, while Carmela Oracion was appointed as an assistant secretary at the Department of Education (DepEd). Josef Angelo Martires was named undersecretary at the Department of Agrarian Reform, while Warren Miclat and Lenard Constantine Serrano were appointed as undersecretary and assistant secretary, respectively, of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). The president also named Jose Tomas Syquia as acting member of the Cultural Center of the Philippines; Stephen Cruz, Wendell Dimaculangan, and Maura Regis as Philippine Postal Corporation's board members; and Rosalina Garcia as acting board member of the Light Rail Transit Authority, representing the private sector. Samson Inocencio Jr. was tapped as member of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, representing the children's sector, while Ferdinand Ulalan was appointed as member of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Eastern Visayas, representing the workers sector. Named deputy director generals of the Department of Budget and Management's Government Procurement Policy Board-Technical Support Office were Ma. Jozzenne Claire Beltran-Carandang, Maria Dionesia Rivera-Guillermo, and Pia Zobel San Diego. Newly appointed officials who will serve as Director IV were Lucio Jesus Abalos, Felino Castro V, and Jan Kevin Rivera (DepEd); Felix Mirasol Jr. and Cleo Sabado Andrada (Department of Environment and Natural Resources); and Ryan Jaen (Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development). Other officials with Director IV posts were Jason Balais, Rosalinda Pineda, Imelda Romanillos, and Dax Villaruel (DoLE); Maria Isabel Lanada (Department of Social Welfare and Development); Ruel Paclipan (Department of Trade and Industry); Edna Cynthia Beres, Dulce Agnes Marquez, Carmel Matabang and Gemima Olam (National Economic and Development Authority); and Shiela Marie Edubas (Bureau of Communications Services).
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed former police general Oscar Valenzuela as the new chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB).
Valenzuela, a former undersecretary for Peace and Order of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), replaced Catalino Cuy, who has been DDB chairman since 2018.
Valenzuela's appointment was announced by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) in a Facebook post Friday.
Based on the list of new presidential appointees released by the PCO, Valenzuela will be the chairman and permanent member of the DDB, which is the policymaking and coordinating agency on all matters related to drug prevention and control in the country.
As former DILG undersecretary for Peace and Order, Valenzuela has been at the forefront of various anti-narcotics campaigns.
He has emphasized the need for a holistic and multi-sectoral approach to combating illegal drugs, focusing on reducing demand, disrupting supply chains, and prioritizing the rehabilitation and reintegration of drug dependents into society.
Valenzuela has been a strong advocate for the Barangay Drug Clearing Program and the "Buhay Ingatan, Droga'y Ayawan" program, both of which aim to eradicate illegal drugs at the grassroots level.
Before joining the DILG, Valenzuela was the Police Assistant Regional Director for Operations of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and provincial police chief of Ilocos Norte.
Upon retirement from the Philippine National Police (PNP), he headed the National Terrorism Prevention Office of the Anti-Terrorism Council Program Management Center and was chairman of the Asia Pacific Economic Conference Counter-Terrorism Working Group.
He also led the Philippine delegation to the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism in Washington, D.C. in 2015.
Marcos also reappointed Roberto Manalo as the Philippines' non-resident ambassador to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, in addition to being ambassador to Iran with concurrent jurisdiction over Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Philippine Ambassadors Christopher Montero (Indonesia), Elizabeth Te (Laos), and Domingo Nolasco (non-resident ambassador to Estonia, in addition to being ambassador to Finland) were also on the list of new appointees.
Montero, Te and Nolasco were among the 19 officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) whose ad interim appointments were confirmed by the Commission on Appointments on Tuesday.
The president also named Fe del Rosario and Ian Dennis Baniqued as Executive Director IV and Director III, respectively, on the Board of Investments.
The president also appointed Desiderio Apag III as a Commission on Higher Education commissioner, while Carmela Oracion was appointed as an assistant secretary at the Department of Education (DepEd).
Josef Angelo Martires was named undersecretary at the Department of Agrarian Reform, while Warren Miclat and Lenard Constantine Serrano were appointed as undersecretary and assistant secretary, respectively, of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The president also named Jose Tomas Syquia as acting member of the Cultural Center of the Philippines; Stephen Cruz, Wendell Dimaculangan, and Maura Regis as Philippine Postal Corporation's board members; and Rosalina Garcia as acting board member of the Light Rail Transit Authority, representing the private sector.
Samson Inocencio Jr. was tapped as member of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, representing the children's sector, while Ferdinand Ulalan was appointed as member of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Eastern Visayas, representing the workers sector.
Named deputy director generals of the Department of Budget and Management's Government Procurement Policy Board-Technical Support Office were Ma. Jozzenne Claire Beltran-Carandang, Maria Dionesia Rivera-Guillermo, and Pia Zobel San Diego.
Newly appointed officials who will serve as Director IV were Lucio Jesus Abalos, Felino Castro V, and Jan Kevin Rivera (DepEd); Felix Mirasol Jr. and Cleo Sabado Andrada (Department of Environment and Natural Resources); and Ryan Jaen (Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development).
Other officials with Director IV posts were Jason Balais, Rosalinda Pineda, Imelda Romanillos, and Dax Villaruel (DoLE); Maria Isabel Lanada (Department of Social Welfare and Development); Ruel Paclipan (Department of Trade and Industry); Edna Cynthia Beres, Dulce Agnes Marquez, Carmel Matabang and Gemima Olam (National Economic and Development Authority); and Shiela Marie Edubas (Bureau of Communications Services).
