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President Rodrigo Duterte named on Thursday Army chief Lt. Gen. Rolando Bautista as the incoming chief of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Duterte announced this during his dinner with the members of the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association in Malacanang.

"I'm announcing, the next DSWD secretary...Rolly Bautista," he said in his speech.

Duterte earlier said Bautista would be the new administrator of the National Food Authority.

Bautista was supposed to replace Jason Aquino who sought for his relief amid the controversy hounding the NFA.

But Duterte apparently changed his mind and instead announced the military general, who is set to retire on October 15, as the next DSWD chief to replace Judy Taguiwalo, who was rejected by the Commission on Appointments in August 2017.

Last May, Duterte appointed DSWD Undersecretary for Special Concerns Virginia Nazarrea Orogo as the Acting Secretary of the Department. Celerina Monte/DMS