Thursday, August 26, 2004 Claudio named Palace political adviser
PRESIDENT Arroyo has appointed Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (Pllo) head Gabriel Claudio as political adviser with the rank and benefits of a Cabinet secretary.
Claudio will head a more powerful Office of the Political Adviser (OPA), which Arroyo recently created under Executive Order (EO) 344.
Under EO 344, the OPA will have oversight powers over the PLLO, Office of the Political Coalition Affairs (Opca) and the Office of Constituency Affairs (OCA).
The Opca will be headed by an executive director who shall address Malacañang's needs and objectives towards the participation and support of the various political parties and groups behind the development and implementation of the administration's program of government.
The existing Political Affairs Office was merged with the Opca and ordered re-engineered.
The OCA, which would also be headed by an executive director, shall be created to address the Palace's needs towards the participation of basic sectors and constituencies in the development and implementation of the administration's program of government.
The current Office of the Legislative Secretariat (OLS) was abolished and its functions transferred to the Pllo but its personnel and budget would be retained in the Office of the President.
The funding of the OPA, Opca and OCA will be sourced from the budget of the Office of the President.
However, Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye, who was also appointed acting Press Secretary Monday, could not explain what would happen to Presidential Liaison for Political Affairs Jose Ma. Rufino now that Claudio has been appointed political adviser.
It was also unclear whether Presidential adviser for constituency affairs Edgardo Pamintuan, former general manager of the National Housing Authority (NHA), would be under Claudio.
Bunye also said Malacañang did not violate the Constitution by allowing new Cabinet members to assume their posts before being confirmed by the Commission on Appointments (CA).
He said past administrations have allowed new Cabinet appointees to perform their functions immediately, including signing pertinent documents. JMR
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