Senate confirms nomination of Sablan, Rabauliman, David, Chong

The full Senate unanimously confirmed yesterday morning the appointment of Michael S. Sablan, Francisco M. Rabauliman, and Tania Sophia P. David to serve as members of the Commonwealth Economic Development Authority board of trustees, and Phyllis Seman Chong to serve as a member of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. board of trustees.

During the Senate session, all nine senators voted “yes” to adopt the Senate Executive Appointments & Government Investigations Committee’s reports that recommend confirmation of the four nominees.

Sablan, Rabauliman, David, and Chong subsequently took oath

of office yesterday afternoon before Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang in the governor’s office conference room.

Sablan was re-nominated to serve on the CEDA board to represent Saipan and Northern Islands. He will serve the remaining of a four-year term that will expire on Sept. 25, 2024.

Sablan’s term as a CEDA member was supposed to expire on Sept. 25, 2024, but he resigned last Jan. 13 out of courtesy to the new Palacios-Apatang administration.

EAGI Committee chair Sen. Celina R. Babauta (D-Saipan) said the nominee is a U.S. certified public accountant with 40 plus years of experience in public and private sectors.

Babauta said Sablan is a former public auditor for the CNMI government, and is currently vice president and chief financial officer of Triple J Enterprises Inc.

With respect to Rabauliman, he will represent Saipan and Northern Islands on the CEDA board of directors.

Rabauliman will serve the remaining of a four-year term that will expire on Sept. 25, 2023. He shall also serve a re-nomination to a subsequent four-year term that will expire on Sept. 25, 2027.

Babauta said Rabauliman is a former Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality administrator.

Regarding David, she will serve the unexpired term of Joaquin Q. Dela Cruz, which will expire on Sept. 25, 2025. She was appointed to represent Saipan and the Northern Islands.

Babauta said David has over 20 years of banking experience and is a volunteer for many organizations.

On Chong’s appointment, she will represent Saipan and the Northern Islands on the CHCC board. She will serve a six-year term that became vacant and will expire on June 22, 2029.

Babauta said during the examination of Chong’s credentials, they received no opposition for her nomination and in fact received many oral and written testimonials in support of her nomination.

Babauta said Chong is a CNMI daughter who received her undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and her degree in social work from Loyola University of Chicago, Illinois.

She said Chong has extensive managerial experience in her chosen field of social work, including directly managing ambulatory care of social services at the University of Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois.