President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo hopes the Commission on Appointments (CA) will confirm all her new appointees as she believes in their capabilities to help achieve her administration’s goals for the next six years.

"I hope they will all be confirmed," the President said last night during dinner with the media at the Malacañang sa Sugbu (Malacañang in Cebu) here.

The President said one of the advantages in her second term is she already knows the strengths of her new appointees and where to "put people where they can best help."

The President announced that National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales will be her new Chief of Staff to replace Rigoberto Tiglao who will head the Presidential Management Staff (PMS).

She said Press Secretary Milton Alingod will be director of Radio-Television Malacañang (RTVM) and a director of Cocolife; Secretary Silvestre Afable, Jr. as Communications Director; and Press Undersecretary Claro Fernandez as Deputy Director for Communications.

The President said she would ask outgoing Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Elisea Gozun to chair the board of the National Mining Corporation.

In an earlier press conference, Secretary Eduardo Ermita thanked the President for her trust in appointing him as new Executive Secretary. He vowed to do his best, live up to expectations, and work well with the Cabinet secretaries and heads of other government agencies.

Ermita replaces Secretary Alberto Romulo who takes over as foreign affairs secretary.

Tourism Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan also thanked the President for his new assignment as chairman of the Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC). He will strive to lower the cost of medicines in half, as is the President’s aim aside from the PITC chairman’s usual role in counter trade and business.

Pagdanganan replaces Antonio Abad whose term expires in October.