MANILA, Mar. 10 — President Benigno S. Aquino III has appointed Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras as ad interim Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, replacing Secretary Albert del Rosario whose resignation took effect on Tuesday.
“Upon his assumption as Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Secretary Jose Rene Almendras has ceased to be Cabinet Secretary,” Communication Secretary Sonny Coloma, Jr. said on Wednesday.
According to Secretary Coloma, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr. will supervise the Office of the Cabinet Secretary.
Aquino accepted del Rosario’s resignation last month. Del Rosario was appointed Department of Foreign Affairs head in 2011.
Almendras was appointed as Cabinet Secretary in 2012. Prior to this, he served as secretary of the Department of Energy. He has also been tasked to head the Cabinet cluster on Port Congestion. (PCOO/PND)
