Marcos names nat’l security adviser, DAR chief

Marcos appointed retired University of the Philippines (UP) Prof. Clarita Carlos and ABONO party-list Rep. Conrado Estrella III as National Security Adviser and Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) secretary, respectively, under his administration (File Photo: Bongbong Marcos/Facebook)

MANILA – President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has named two more members to his Cabinet, his camp announced Wednesday.

Marcos appointed retired University of the Philippines (UP) Prof. Clarita Carlos and ABONO party-list Rep. Conrado Estrella III as National Security Adviser and Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) secretary, respectively, under his administration

The new Cabinet appointments were discussed during Marcos’ meeting with Carlos and Estrella at the President-elect’s headquarters in Mandaluyong City.

Carlos and Estrella accepted Marcos’ offer.

“Retired UP Professor Clarita Carlos, along with ABONO Partylist Rep. Conrado Estrella III, meets with incoming President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. as both accepted the offer to become new members of the Cabinet,” the Marcos camp said in a press statement.

Carlos is a retired political science professor at UP Diliman.

She served as the first female, civilian president of the National Defense College of the Philippines.

Carlos was also a consultant in Congress and other government agencies, including the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

She authored books and papers about political parties, elections, defense and security, and foreign policy, among others.

Estrella, meanwhile, is one of the House deputy speakers of the 18th Congress.

He first served in Congress as a representative of Pangasinan’s 6th District from 1987 to 1995. He was elected to the same seat from 2001 to 2010.

In 2013, he returned to the House of Representatives as ABONO party-list representative.

Estrella also served as chief of the National Electrification Administration.

Marcos has so far named 20 individuals who will be joining his Cabinet.

He earlier nominated his long-time chief of staff and spokesperson Vic Rodriguez as Executive Secretary, Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio as Education secretary, and Davao del Norte Rep. Anton Lagdameo Jr. as Special Assistant to the President.

Marcos also tapped Arsenio Balisacan as National Economic and Development Authority secretary, Benjamin Diokno as Finance secretary, Amenah Pangandaman as Budget secretary, Alfred Pascual as Trade secretary, and Felipe Medalla as Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor.

The other nominees to the Cabinet are Beatrix Rose “Trixie” Cruz-Angeles as Press secretary, Cavite Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla as Justice secretary, Bienvenido Laguesma as Labor secretary, Susan Ople as Migrant Workers secretary, Manuel Bonoan as Public Works secretary, and Benjamin Abalos Jr. as Interior secretary.

Marcos likewise named Erwin Tulfo as Social Welfare secretary, Ivan John Enrile Uy as Information Communications and Technology secretary, Christina Frasco as Tourism secretary, and Nadia Angping as head of the Presidential Management Staff.