President Duterte Appoints New Cabinet Members

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Wednesday, October 17, spearheaded the oath-taking of the new Presidential appointees.

The Chief Executive chose Ambassador to the United Nations, Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr. as the new Foreign Affairs Secretary, replacing Alan Peter Cayetano, who filed his candidacy for the 2019 mid-term elections.

Locsin was formerly appointed by President Duterte as Philippine Envoy to United Nations in 2016.

Retired Lt. Gen. Rolando Joselito Bautista also took an oath of office as the new Secretary of Department of Social Welfare and Development, replacing DSWD Acting Secretary Virginia Orogo.

Bautista retired from the military last October 15. He was also the overall ground commander in Marawi City.

Courtesy Calls to the President

Meanwhile, after the oath-taking, Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Special Adviser for Foreign Affairs to the President, Katsuyuki Kawai, paid a courtesy call to President Duterte. LDP is one of Japan’s most significant political parties.

Secondly, United Arab Emirates Chief of Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship Ali Mohammad Al Shamsi also paid a courtesy call to the President.

Newly appointed Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. accompanied the President during the courtesy calls.

President Duterte signed an oil exploration deal with Israeli firm

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, together with Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi, signed the Petroleum Service Contract (PSC) for Area 4 (East Palawan Basin) of the Fifth Philippine Energy Contracting Round (PECR5) at the Reception Hall of Malacañang, while Itay Raphael Tabibzada, company President and CEO, signed for Israeli firm, Ratio Petroleum Ltd.

The awarded PSC is part of PECR5, which was launched in May 2014. The PECR was established as a transparent and competitive system of awarding service or operating contracts for prospective petroleum or coal areas within the country. This event promotes good economic relations between the Philippines and Israel.