BACOLOD City – Instead of Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) undersecretary Joel Egco, PCOO undersecretary George Apacible graced the Negros Press Club (NPC) induction of officers.
NPC earlier announced that Egco would be the guest of honor during the April 11 ceremony at the SMX Convention Center in this city.
A day before yesterday’s induction, however, NPC received a text message from the PCOO stating, “This is to inform you that neither Secretary Martin Andanar nor Undersecretary Joel Egco can attend…”
Andanar is on official travel until Friday.
Egco, on the other hand, was tasked to have a “high-level dialogue” in Indonesia.
Mayor Rhumyla Mangilimutan of La Castellana, Negros Occidental led the induction of the new set of NPC officers, namely:
* Renato “Boy” Duran (reelected president)
* Erwin Nicavera (vice president)
* Dolly Yasa (secretary)
* Elsie Jolingan (treasurer)
Members of the NPC Board of Directors also took their oath during the event. They included Chrysee Samillano, Edgar Lucasan, Jemlo Victosa, Aquilino Ciocon, Merlinda Pedrosa, Eric Magbanua, Hernand Garciniego, Owen Bayog, and Martian Muyco.
The NPC, now celebrating its 82nd founding anniversary, is one of the oldest press clubs in the Philippines.
This year, NPC is celebrating its anniversary with the theme: “Standing Up for the Truth, Safeguarding Free Press.”/PN
