Marcos bares more Cabinet appointees

MANILA – President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday bared more appointees to his incoming Cabinet a day after his proclamation as the 17th President of the Philippines.

In a press conference, Marcos named former University of the Philippines (UP) president Alfred Pascual as the next head of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) under his administration.

“I’ve asked Fred Pascual to head the DTI and he has agreed,” he said.

Pascual is the current president of the Management Association of the Philippines.

Marcos said Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno would serve as the secretary of the Department of Finance (DOF)

“It would be appropriate to say that I would be nominating our BSP President Ben Diokno for the position of secretary of finance,” Marcos said.

Diokno, in a statement, said he will strive as the next Finance secretary to “continue prudently and carefully balancing the need” between supporting economic growth and maintaining fiscal discipline.

“It is an honor to serve the Filipino people in my current and any future capacity. I am grateful and humbled by the trust given to me by the President-elect to help his administration manage the country’s fiscal affairs,” Diokno said.

Marcos noted that BSP Monetary Board Member Felipe Medalla would take the place of Diokno to lead the central bank.

In the same press conference, Marcos said he is eyeing to appoint SMC Tollways president and chief executive officer Manuel “Manny” Bonoan for the position of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) chief.

“I’m intending to nominate Manny Bonoan for the Department of Public Works and Highways. He has spent almost his entire professional life in the DPWH, I know him very well, I know he will do a good job,” he said.

Bonoan, an engineer, previously served as DPWH undersecretary during the Estrada and Arroyo administrations.

As for the position of Special Assistant to the President (SAP), Marcos tapped former Davao del Norte Rep. Anton Lagdameo Jr. for the task.

Marcos said it would be an “easy position” for the former lawmaker since they worked together for the past 10 years.

“We’ve asked Cong Anton Lagdameo to fill in that position. It’s very sensitive and very important in the sense that we have known each other since he was a child,” he said. “He knows me very well. He has been with us, working with me for the past 10 years.”

Marcos earlier nominated his long-time chief of staff and spokesperson Vic Rodriguez as Executive Secretary, Cavite Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla as Justice secretary, Arsenio Balisacan to head National Economic and Development Authority, Bievenido Laguesma as Labor secretary, Susan Ople as secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers, and Vice President-elect Sara Duterte as Education secretary.