MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Finance Undersecretary Karl Chua as acting secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea confirmed this on Friday, April 17, just minutes after Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia announced he has resigned from his post.

Medialdea said Duterte accepted Pernia’s resignation.

“The President has appointed DOF (Department of Finance) Usec Karl Chua as acting secretary of NEDA,” Medialdea told reporters.

Before joining the DOF, Chua was a senior economist at the World Bank.

As acting NEDA secretary, Chua takes the helm as the Philippines plans its economic response to and recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

In his statement on Friday, Pernia had said he was leaving his post at NEDA due to “personal reasons and partly to differences in development philosophy with a few of my fellow Cabinet members.”

“I would like to thank the President for appointing me to the position. It has been an honor and privilege to have served the country under his administration for the past nearly 4 years,” Pernia said. – Rappler.com