Jacinto, Evasco back in government as presidential advisers

Then-Cabinet Secretary Leoncio B. Evasco, Jr. delivers a welcome address during the Monday flag ceremony in the Malacañang Complex in April 2018. Ace Morandante/PPD/

(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed businessman RJ Jacinto as his telecommunications adviser.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said also back in government was Leoncio Evasco Jr., who will now assume the post of presidential adviser on streamlining of government processes.

The President signed Jacinto’s appointment paper on Nov. 25, while Evasco’s paper was signed a day before.

According to Roque, the Palace was “confident” that Jacinto would “ably and effectively discharge his duties in this new assignment,” noting that he had served in various capacities in government before.

Roque said Jacinto was Presidential Adviser on Economic Affairs and Information Technology.

He was later named Undersecretary of the Department of information and Communications Technology.

As for Evasco, Roque said his “familiarity with the present bureaucracy would contribute greatly in his new task of streamlining government processes in the Executive.”

Evasco was President Duterte’s Cabinet Secretary until he filed his candidacy for Bohol governor in 2018, but lost to Arthur Yap.

Evasco also became chair of the National Food Authority Council, the 18-member policy-making body of the NFA.

He, however, lost the post after the NFA reverted to the Department of Agriculture. With a report from Vic Somintac, Eagle News