MANILA, Philippines – Aurora Ignacio, the Social Security Commission’s first female chairperson, has been tapped by President Rodrigo Duterte to helm the Social Security System (SSS).

Duterte signed Ignacio’s appointment paper on March 28, designating her SSS President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The document was released to media on Monday, April 1.

Ignacio will take over the post of Emmanuel Dooc, who resigned as SSS president in early March because the newly-signed law overhauling the SSS charter meant his term of office had expired. Dooc voluntarily resigned to give Duterte a free hand in choosing his successor.

Ignacio is not new to the SSS as she had formerly headed the SSC which is the governing body of the SSS. The 62-year-old executive had also held a position in Malacañang.

LOOK: President Duterte appoints Aurora Ignacio as Social Security System President and CEO. @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/Hp3QByp37l

— Pia Ranada (@piaranada) April 1, 2019

Before her appointment to the SSC, she was an Office of the President assistant secretary handling Special Projects. In July 2017, Duterte handpicked her to be the “focal person” for all inquiries about his administration’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.

Her designation, formalized by Presidential Decree No. 5, gave her authority to intervene in all matters pertaining to the anti-drugs campaign and coordinate with all agencies concerned if there was any offer of assistance from any sector of society. 

She also ensured the participation of agencies composing the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) in the government’s drug rehabilitation program, Rehabinasyon. Ignacio was responsible for the establishment of a “Substance Abuse Helpline 155” which supposedly allowed drug addicts and their families to call for government assistance with complete confidentiality.

Apart from her work involving the anti-drugs campaign, Ignacio served as a member of the National Food Authority Council. Before working in government, she was a corporate banking employee at the Bank of the Philippine Islands. – Rappler.com