Wednesday, August 08, 2007 New defense chief to focus on reform program
PRESS Secretary Ignacio Bunye said on Tuesday that pursuing the Philippine Defense Reform Program remains the top priority of new Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.
Bunye said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wants to ensure that the reforms that were started in the defense department would be pursued and sustained.
“We have gone a long way towards the implementation of some of the reforms that will benefit the ordinary soldiers and I believe it goes without saying that new secretary of defense will have to comply with this earlier instruction,” he said.
Teodoro took his oath before President Arroyo in Malacañang’s Study Room on Tuesday afternoon which was attended by National Security Adviser and acting defense secretary Norberto Gonzales.
Teodoro, a former Tarlac congressman and an Air Force reserve officer, would officially assume his new post on Wednesday.
He was appointed initially by Arroyo in July while he was still vacationing in the US. (JMR/Sunnex)
