Palace spokesman Harry Roque said on Tuesday that there was no formal decision yet to appoint former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief.
Roque’s statement came after a Daily Tribune report claimed, citing sources, that Arroyo was to be announced as the new NEDA director general during President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address Monday.
Arroyo was among those who attended the SONA via Zoom. Duterte did not make the announcement.
“Wala po akong balita tungkol diyan sa bagay na iyan at kung mayroon man ay ipapaalam ko po sa sambayanan,” Roque told reporters in a virtual briefing.
Arroyo, in an interview with The Daily Tribune prior to Duterte’s SONA, refused to comment on her supposed appointment.
“Ang sabi iaanunsiyo daw kahapon sa SONA, hindi po nangyari. So, hayaan na po natin iyang issue na iyan,” Roque said.
Karl Chua, formerly finance undersecretary, is the acting socioeconomic planning secretary and NEDA director general. John Ezekiel J. Hirro