PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed two special envoys to Japan and China for trade and investments, according to the shortlist of presidential appointees released by the Palace just on Wednesday, October 16.

The list showed that former House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. was named as Duterte's special envoy to Japan for trade and market access, while Jaime Cruz was tapped as the President's special envoy to China for trade and investments.

Belmonte and Cruz's appointment papers were signed by Duterte on October 15.

Meantime, the President also re-appointed Wendel Avisado and William Dar as secretaries of the Budget and Agriculture departments, respectively.

Duterte signed the appointment papers of Avisado and Dar on October 11, or six days after their respective appointments were bypassed by the Commission on Appointments (CA).

The CA failed to act on the appointment papers of the two Cabinet secretaries before the Congress went on recess on October 5.

Other presidential appointees were Golda Margareth Arge, who was named board member of the UCPB General Insurance Company Inc.; Joel Abutal, commodore of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy; and Pedro Miguel Santos, director III of the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

Duterte signed the appointment papers of Arge, Abutal, and Santos on September 17, October 10, and October 15, respectively. (NASE/SunStar Philippines)