Corporate finance authority Angelito ’Lito’ Alvarez takes off his hat as chairman of the Philippine Basketball Association to put on a new one as commissioner of the Bureau of Customs.
Alvarez, 52, was sworn in at 10 a.m. Tuesday by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima at his Department of Finance office, laying to rest speculations on who President Benigno Simeon Aquino III will assign to one of the government’s most sensitive agencies.
The former Sycip,Gorres, Velayo & Co. senior auditor will assume official functions during formal turnover rites at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Bureau of Customs, with Purisima and outgoing Customs commissioner
Napoleon Morales present.
Alvarez, who has six children (four boys and two girls), was with his wife, Maria Vilma, at the swearing-in ceremony. He will take his oath of office with Pres. Aquino at 2 p.m. Thursday in Malacanang.
His first marching orders, Alvarez said, are to “meet revenue goals, work in close coordination with the Bureau of Internal Revenue to prevent tax leakages, and identify smugglers.”
A graduate of Far Eastern University and a Certified Public Accountant by profession, Alvarez worked for five years with SGV&Co. before moving to Sunnyvale-based Advanced Micro Devices (currently Amkor-Anam, one of the biggest semiconductor companies in the country) as an accounting manager, and finally settling for the last 20 years with the Lina Group of Companies as, until recently, president of Air21, the sole licensee of FedEx in the Philippines.
He will be following the footsteps of his corporate benefactor LGC chairman Bert Lina, who served as Customs commissioner during the tenure of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
“I have as an advantage having worked with Mr. Lina, Secretary Purisima, and former BIR commissioner Willie Parayno,” said Alvarez, a part owner of Burger King. “I have been properly trained by two former
BoC commissioners and educated early on Customs matters.”
Outside his early orders from Purisima, the new BoC said he is looking to improve the image of his office.
“It needs transformation and we have to address the issue of its image,” Alvarez said. “I also hope to create a productive working environment, better salaries and benefits, in order to be able to render quality service and boost government collection.”
With his appointment to the BoC, Alvarez relinquishes his post as chairman of the PBA, turning over the job to current vice chairman Rene Pardo of B-Meg Derby Ace.
On Tuesday, Alvarez informed league governors, who were having their board meeting, of the news, inviting them to the turnover ceremony set Wednesday morning.
PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios was elated when told of Alvarez’s appointment.
“I am pleased and proud to hear the news,” said Barrios. “My exposure to him and his work ethic in the PBA gives me confidence that he has the necessary tools to do well in his job so he can significantly contribute to nation building.”
Pardo shares Barrios views.
"He is highly qualified and will be an asset to the BoC because Lito is a good manager and he has proven that with the Air21 team,” Pardo said. (pr)
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