New DOTC secretary announced

(Updated 8:36 PM) An undersecretary at the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) was appointed head the agency, Leandro Mendoza, the newly-appointed executive secretary, said on Tuesday. Anneli Lontoc will be the next Transport chief, Mendoza said on Tuesday, during his first briefing as Executive Secretary. Mendoza replaced Eduardo Ermita, who is running for congressman of Batangas, said Lontoc is currently the DOTC undersecretary for road transport. Besides being a career officer, Lontoc headed the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and concurrently served as assistant to the DOTC Secretary. When she first joined government, she handled various positions at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) where she became the Assistant Regional Director for the National Capital Region in 1998. She was later named director at the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Appointments before being promoted to assistant secretary at the Office of the Secretary for the President’s Priority Programs and Official Development Assistance (ODA) projects. Cebu Ports Authority (CPA) General Manager Angelo Verdan was also appointed as the new head of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), Mendoza said on Tuesday. Verdan replaced Ma. Elena Bautista who was recently appointed as new Presidential Management Staff director general after Hermogenes Esperon Jr. resigned to run for congressman of Pangasinan. Ricardo Saludo was also appointed as presidential spokesman and concurrent Reconstruction Commission chairman. Saludo, who previously served as secretary to the Cabinet and deputy spokesman, was initially transferred by Arroyo in the Civil Service Commission as chairman in 2008, but failed to get the Commission on Appointments. In late 2009, he returned to the Office of the President as chairman of Reconstruction Commission, and later as concurrent deputy spokesman. - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV