PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has nominated seven new Philippine ambassadors, according to Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, Assistant Minority Leader of the Commission on Appointments (CA).
“The President issued the nominations on June 2, and all were formally received by the Commission on the same day,” Pimentel announced in a statement on Wednesday.
The nominees are as follows:
· Evangeline Ong Jimenez-Ducrocq, as Philippine Permanent Representative to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta, Indonesia;
· Bernadette Therese Fernandez, as Ambassador to South Korea;
· Maria Teresa Almojuela, as Ambassador to Germany;
· Alan Deniega, as Ambassador to Poland, with concurrent jurisdiction over Lithuania and Ukraine;
· Gines Jaime Ricardo Gallaga, as Ambassador to Bahrain;
· Marlowe Miranda, as Ambassador to Lebanon;
· Arvin De Leon, as Ambassador to Mexico, with concurrent jurisdiction over the Caribbean nations of Cuba and the Dominican Republic, as well as the Central American countries of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
Pimentel emphasized that unlike ad interim appointments – which take effect immediately pending CA confirmation – nominees cannot assume their posts until they have secured the Commission’s consent.
He further explained that both the assignment of ambassadors and the promotion in rank of senior foreign service officers require CA approval.
Under the Constitution, the 25-member CA is mandated to assess the competence, integrity, and fitness of key presidential appointees, with the authority to either confirm or reject them.
The CA comprises 12 members each from the House of Representatives and the Senate, with the Senate President serving as its ex-officio presiding officer.
“Confirmation hearings serve as an important safeguard, ensuring proper oversight of the President’s power to appoint officials to critical diplomatic posts,” Pimentel said.
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