President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has designated Transportation Undersecretary Anneli R. Lontoc as secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC), filling the last vacancy in her Cabinet.

Lontoc replaces Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza who was appointed the new Executive Secretary in the latest Cabinet reorganization prior to an election ban on government appointments.

Lontoc, a career official, supervised road transportation during her stint as Transportation undersecretary.

She previously served as head of the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

The appointment of Lontoc was announced Tuesday by Mendoza in his first news conference in Malacañang, after the Cabinet meeting held by President Arroyo.

Mendoza also confirmed that the President has appointed Cebu Port Authority general manager Angelo Verdan as administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina).

Verdan will take over the Marina post from Ma. Elena Bautista who now heads the Presidential Management Staff (PMS). The Cebu-based official led the CPA starting in 2006.

Deputy Presidential Spokesman Ricardo Saludo will also now serve as Presidential Spokesman, replacing former Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

Lontoc was named head of LTO in September 2003 but was replaced by retired police chief superintendent Reynaldo Berroya three years later.

Lontoc, who has a master of arts degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of the Philippines, also served as assistant secretary at the Office of the President prior to her deployment to the LTO. She is among the proponents of the government’s Strong Republic Nautical Highway.

Lontoc also held various positions at the Department of Trade and Industry. She earned a post-graduate diploma in regional development planning and management in a university in Dortmund, Germany and a post-graduate diploma on Executive Program in Management from the Netherlands International Institute for Management Science. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)