PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has officially appointed Karl Kendrick T. Chua as Socioeconomic Planning secretary and director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), after a year of holding the positions in an acting capacity.
Presidential Spokesperson Herminio “Harry” L. Roque told reporters via Viber that Mr. Duterte approved Mr. Chua’s appointment on Thursday.
“Secretary Chua has served the Duterte administration with professionalism, competence and integrity as Undersecretary of the Department of Finance (DoF) and Acting Secretary of the NEDA,” Mr. Roque said.
“With the aforesaid traits we are confident that Sec. Chua would continuously and consistently perform well in his present but crucial task of jump-starting our economic recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added.
Mr. Chua was named acting NEDA chief on April 17, 2020, after the resignation of Ernesto M. Pernia at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
As Socioeconomic Planning secretary, he pushed for the fast-tracking of the rollout of the national ID program, creation of an economic recovery plan and acceleration of the infrastructure program.
Mr. Chua was previously undersecretary at the DoF and the country economist for the World Bank. — Beatrice M. Laforga
