Angelo Reyes

Angelo Tomas Reyes was the Secretary of National Defense of the Philippines under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from 2001 to 2003. He is currently the Secretary of the Department of Energy.

Education

Angie spent most of his child days in San Miguel, Manila. He completed his secondary schooling at the Cubao High School in 1960 where he graduated as the class valedictorian. In 1966, he was among the top ten graduates of the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City. He then proceeded to acquire two masteral degrees, namely: Masters in Business Administration from Asian Institute of Management in 1973 and Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University in 1991. He also took up International Defense Management Course in Monterey, California in 1983. And in 1987, he graduated No. 1 in Trust Operations Management Course conducted by the Trust Institutes Foundation of the Philippines at the Ateneo Business School which eventually earned him a scholarship to the Northwestern University in Chicago, illinois.

Background

Secretary Reyes Started his career in the military as a Team Leader in the Philippine Army Special Forces. He spent his field command duties as battalion commander, brigade commander, and area commander in Mindanao where he gained experiences in addressing the threats from the communist insurgency and muslim secessionism in the Philippines. He became the Commanding General of the Philippine Army which propelled him to the top post of the Philippine Military as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

As AFP Chief of Staff, he worked towards the Vision of A 21st Century Armed Forces… that is fully mission-effective, progressively-efficient, technology-driven, versatile, responsive to change and composed of soldiers who are visible role models to the Filipino People. On January 19, 2001, moved by the spirit of patriotism, the then General Reyes played an instrumental role in leading the entire Armed Forces in a collective effort to side with the Filipino People’s call for a genuine reform in society and governance. That momentous decision led to a peaceful transition of national leadership which ushered new hope for truth, honor and decency in public service.

Barely two days after his retirement as the 27th Chief of Staff of the AFP, he was sworn into office as the 23rd Secretary of National Defense. In concurrent capacity, he also chaired the National Disaster Coordinating Council. Under his leadership, hw was able to imbibe a culture of excellence at the department of national defense and transformed it into a technology-driven defense establishment making it more re3sponsive to the challenges o rapidly changing security establishment amidst the rising trend in global terrorism, He was instrumental in crafting the National Internal Security Plan which is now being implemented by the government in addressing the root causes of insurgency through poverty alleviation, delivery of basic services and empowerment of the local government.

As chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council, he campaigned for preservation of lives and property through individual preparedness and responsiveness. He ventured on a tri-media information campaign program dubbed “FIRST DEFENSE” which was proven effective in educating individuals and families on how to be self-reliant in times of disasters and calamities.

August 29, 2003, Secretary REYES stepped down from his post as Secretary of National Defense. Considered by many as a knight sacrificed to save the queen in the political chess game, his resignation from his post exemplified an awe-inspiring sense of self-sacrifice that rose above personal interests and love for the country. To paraphrase an editorial in a local daily newspaper, his resignation rove above the level of mere decency to true statesmanship.

Secretary Reyes, however, was named Anti-Kidnapping Presidential Adviser on October 26, 2003, after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Executive Order Number 248 creating the Office of the Anti-Kidnapping Presidential Adviser, and subsequently, the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (NAKTF) to address the problem of kidnapping in the country and to demonstrate the governments resolve to eradicate this menace. His installation as anti-kidnapping czar once again proved the effectiveness of his leadership as the Task Force was able to neutralize the number one Kidnap-for-Ransom Gang (KFRG) on the NAKTF order of battle, in his few short weeks in office.

Barely five months after NAKTF was created, Secretary Reyes was once again appointed as the Presidential Adviser on Anti-Smuggling on March 10, 2004 by virtue of Executive Order Number 297 to orchestrate and oversee a consolidated national anti-smuggling campaign. He now heads the National Anti-Smuggling Task Force (NASTF) as Chief, and is making headway in the fight against smuggling, proving further his mettle and grit in putting an end to the ills that beset the nation.

Throughout his career, Secretary Reyes received various awards and decorations from both the military and civilian institutions. He was a recipient of the Philippine Legion of Honor, AFP Distinguished Service Star, Military Merit Medals, Anti-Dissidence Campaign Ribbons and other Philippine military decorations. He was awarded the Order of the White Elephant by King Bhumidol of Thailand and the Order of Valor by the King of Malaysia.

As a civic leader, he was chosen as the Most Outstanding Project Chairman by the Philippine Jaycees for Project “The Youth Speaks” in 1981. That same project was later adjudged as the Most Outstanding External Affairs Project in the World during the Jaycees World Convention in Germany in 1991. In 1991, he was given the honor of being a Kabisig Awardee for his Project: Common Cause, Uncommon Zeal”. (KABISIG is a nationwide government socio-economic project in rural areas). With all these accomplishments, he was named the Most Outstanding Alumnus of the Asian Institute of Management in 1982 and Most Outstanding PMA Alumnus (Cavalier Award for Public Administration) in 2001.

Secretary ANGELO REYES truly exemplifies the benefits of education, the values of leadership, and the legacy of dedication to ones, resolve for the good of the majority.

Secretary Reyes is married to Teresita P Reyes with whom he has five sons, Pablo, Angelito, Marc, Carlo and Judd.

On January 29, 2008, Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes announced that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 8-man team led by Akira Omoto inspected the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant on rehabilitation prospects. The team members are Zhang Jing, IAEA section head for Asia and the Pacific; Ki Sig Tang, technical officer at the nuclear division; David Greaves and Eric Weinstein; 3 independent experts: John Rames, an expert on legal infrastructure from Australia; Jose E. Brayner, Costa Mattos, a nuclear power expert from Brazil; and Ioan Rotaru, a nuclear power expert from Romania." [ [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gUYiGvXnSzLjTQE-wr2trzZhA39A Afp.google.com, IAEA team assessing Philippines nuclear prospects: report] ]

External links and references

* [http://www.op.gov.ph/profiles_reyes.asp Office of the President - The Cabinet - Angelo Reyes]

References