Retired general Raymundo Ferrer is the new administrator of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal said on Tuesday.
Ferrer, who will hold the rank of undersecretary, took his oath as OCD chief before Department of National Defense officer-in-charge Jose Faustino Jr.
Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed labor leader and Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) spokesperson Alan Tanjusay as undersecretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
He was sworn into office by DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo as undersecretary for Inclusive and Sustainable Peace, which would oversee the new administration’s renewed commitment to continue the welfare services and deradicalization programs for former rebels and their families, the department said in a statement.
The other officials appointed to serve in the DSWD include Undersecretary Sally Navarro and Assistant Secretaries Irene Dumlao and Rodolfo Santos for Social Welfare and Development.
As for Ferrer, Timbal said he would contribute his experience in emergency operations, the Philippine Army, and management to the OCD and NDRRMC.
“He assumes office today as OCD continues to manage the impact of the Abra earthquake,” Timbal said.
Prior to his compulsory retirement in 2012, Ferrer served as commander of the military’s Western Mindanao Command.
He also headed the Eastern Mindanao Command from January 2009 to November 2011; 6th Infantry Division from March 2007 to January 2009 and the 1st Infantry Division from September 2006 to March 2007.
At the DSWD, Tulfo likewise inaugurated Undersecretary Jerico Javier and Assistant Secretaries Elaine Fallarcuna and Jun Loyola for Operations; Undersecretary Adonis Sulit and Assistant Secretary Ivy Rivera for General Administration and Support; Undersecretary Antonio Crisanto Jr. and Assistant Secretary Janus Sidayao for Finance;
Undersecretary Charles Co and Assistant Secretary Janet Armas for Policy and Plans; Undersecretary Denise Bernos-Bragas and Assistant Secretary Diana Rose Cajipe for Standards and Capacity Building; Undersecretary Marco Bautista and Assistant Secretary Gary Pulitico for Disaster Response Management;
Undersecretary Vilma Cabrera and Assistant Secretary Maris Maristela (Luzon), Assistant Secretary Evelyn Macapobre (Visayas), and Assistant Secretary Arnel Garcia (Mindanao) for Special Concerns; Undersecretary Eduardo Punay and Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez for Special Projects; and Undersecretary Niña Taduran for Legislative.
“I am grateful to President Marcos for allowing me to serve one of our vulnerable sectors in another capacity in particular the rebel returnees, their families, the conflict-affected and vulnerable indigenous peoples’ communities including the women and children in geographically isolated areas,” said Tanjusay.
“I am honored to oversee and to further implement government caring services and targeted programs uniquely prepared by our driven DSWD officers and staff for these vulnerable sectors,” he added.
Tanjusay had a combined 15-year tour of duty as a journalist for local tabloid and broadsheet newspapers and for a Manila-based Japanese television and newspaper, which covered social and political issues.
He became the spokesperson for workers and policy advocacy director for the largest federation of unions, the Associated Labor Unions (ALU), and for the labor center TUCP for another 12 years.
Tanjusay recently helped the ALU and TUCP campaign to raise the minimum wage by filing wage increase petitions in several regions across the country and was also lauded for advocating for the government ban on compulsory wearing of high-heeled shoes in workplaces.
He also represented the workers’ sector in local and international dialogue on improving workers’ participation in tripartism and bipartism social dialogue mechanisms with government and business sector partners.
“Of course, I am eager to be working under an ardent boss and resolute DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo along with highly professional men and women of the DSWD family,” Tanjusay said.
The TUCP supported the UniTeam candidacy of Marcos and his running mate, Vice President Sara Duterte, in the May 9 polls.
Tanjusay earlier told the media that Marcos and Duterte’s message of governance resonated with workers, and that the labor sector “was already tired of crab mentality.”
“We, too, have been surprised by the position of the TUCP leadership after a series of caucuses and labor meetings,” he said in a previous interview.
According to Tanjusay, one of their appeals to Marcos during his campaign was to restore 4 million lost jobs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.