Arroyo appoints PR consultant

President Gloria Arroyo has named long-time personal publicist and Manila Times publisher Dante Ang as senior presidential consultant on public relations. He will receive P1.00 (two cents) a year for his services.

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President Gloria Arroyo has named long-time personal publicist and Manila Times publisher Dante Ang as senior presidential consultant on public relations. He will receive P1.00 (two cents) a year for his services.

Arroyo said that after much prodding, she was finally able to convince Ang to accept a government position.

Ang served as Arroyo's search committee for officials and members of her communications machinery when she assumed presidency last year in January and eventually organised the presidential office's communications network.

Arroyo also clarified that Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao will remain head of her administration's "communication group" even while he is on leave for three months.

He has accepted a teaching job on south-east Asian affairs at Kyoto University in Japan.

Ang's official appointment was meant to put an end to rumours that Tiglao's sudden decision to go on leave was due to professional differences and a brewing turf war between the two presidential appointees.

Tiglao and Ang have a good working relationship, said Arroyo, adding that Ang was the one who earlier suggested Tiglao's appointment as presidential spokesman.

Ang is a public relations and advertising man who maintains his own PR firm as well as other businesses. Arroyo was Ang's client when she was still senator.

Ang said his role as senior consultant would not entitle him to any salary although he will have a cabinet rank. "I am not after any government position," he said.

Meanwhile, former journalist Claro Fernandez was named assistant press secretary for broadcast, while lawyer Ricky Alfonso was named assistant press secretary for legislative affairs.

Presidential Management Staff head, Silvestre Afable, was designated officer-in-charge of the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) during Tiglao's leave.

The changes Tiglao instituted in the OPS will continue to be carried out, Arroyo said.

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