Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has announced the appointment of former Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Debbie Jean Centeno-Dijamco and former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director General Paolo Teston as associate justices of the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA).

According to Philippines News Agency, the appointments were confirmed by Malaca±ang on Wednesday. Both appointees will work under the leadership of Presiding Justice Ma. Belen Ringpis-Liban to fulfill the court's adjudicative and administrative responsibilities.

Centeno-Dijamco, who served as DepEd undersecretary from 2025 to 2026, has extensive experience in the legal field. Her previous roles include judicial staff head to former CTA Presiding Justice Roman Del Rosario from 2013 to 2025 and a court attorney at a Regional Trial Court from 2011 to 2013. Additionally, she practiced tax and corporate law at Sycip Gorres Velayo and Co. from 1999 to 2010. Her academic credentials include a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Santo Tomas and a Bachelor of Laws from San Beda College. She furthered her education through the Management Development Program at the Asian Institute of Management and the Philippine Judicial Academy's Pre-Judicature Program for Appellate Courts.

Teston, who served as FDA director general from 2025 to 2026, was previously a Department of Health undersecretary. Before his government roles, he worked as a senior associate at Marcos Ochoa Serapio and Tan Law from 2019 to 2023. He also teaches at the Manuel L. Quezon University College of Law, having joined the faculty in 2024. Teston holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Bachelor of Laws from San Beda College. He completed the Pre-Judicature Program for Appellate Courts at the Philippine Judicial Academy.

The CTA, on par with the Court of Appeals, possesses exclusive appellate jurisdiction over tax-related cases involving the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Customs, local tax disputes, and other revenue issues.