MANILA -- President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has appointed Gina Lopez as head of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission.
Lopez on Monday took a formal oath in Malacanang together with other new officials appointed by the President. She was joined by brother Gabby Lopez who owns TV station ABS-CBN.
The Lopez family helped in the presidential campaign of Aquino.
The Palace however denied that Gina’s appointment was a kind of political reward to the family.
“Absolutely not a political reward,” Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ricky Carandang told Sun.Star.
He pointed out that Gina, in her personal capacity, has long been involved in efforts to clean up the Pasig River.
“It is a logical choice,” Carandang said.
Gina has been instrumental in cleaning Pasig River through the project of ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. dubbed Kapit Bisig sa Ilog Pasig. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)