MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Appointments (CA), on the last day of session of the 19th Congress, confirmed the ad interim appointment of career diplomat Ma. Theresa Lazaro as secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The 19th Congress adjourns sine die on June 13 and ends at noon of June 30. Though the 20th Congress begins on July 1 it will start the session on July 28.
The CA, however, bypassed–for lack of time–the ad interim appointment of Jay Ruiz as secretary of the Presidential Communications Office and Henry Aguda as secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
Lazaro “is a paragon of excellence in the Philippine foreign service,” said Sen. Jinggoy Estrada in sponsoring the approval of her appointment.
“Among her notable contributions was her pivotal role in managing tensions in the West Philippine Sea, including facilitating arrangements to ensure the continued resupply of Philippine personnel stationed at Ayungin Shoal,” he said.
Estrada said Lazaro has also “worked tirelessly to build regional consensus on the long-standing efforts toward a rules-based Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, demonstrating her capacity for balancing assertive diplomacy with constructive engagement.”
The CA also confirmed the appointments of seven ambassadors, including Arvin de Leon as ambassador to Mexico, with jurisdiction over Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Dominican Republic, as well as 52 junior foreign service officers.
The body also confirmed the appointment of Jose Aliling as secretary of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.
Likewise, the promotions of 118 senior officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines were also approved by the CA.
