Broadcast journalists Bianca Gonzales and Karen Davila accepted some of the chosen appointees of presumptive president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, Tuesday, May 24.
Atty. Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ spokesman and chief of staff, earlier announced that Arsenio Balisacan, Bienvenido Laguesma, and Toots Ople would be part of the administration.
Gonzalez tweeted, “This sounds promising” after Rodriguez made the announcement.
This sounds promising 🙏🏽 https://t.co/z7iuzu84sG
— Bianca Gonzalez (@iamsuperbianca) May 23, 2022
Balisacan, an economist and the current chairman of the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), will sit as the head of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)—the same agency he managed during the term of the late President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
Laguesma was the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) chief under Joseph Estrada’s administration and will be occupying the same position in Marcos’ administration.
Ople, on the other hand, will head the newly-created Department of Migrant Workers. She was a former DOLE undersecretary who founded the non-profit organization Blas Ople Policy Center, which was named after her late father, who headed the labor department under the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Davila lauded Balicasan for showing that “he is beyond politics.”
From PNOY to Marcos Jr. Balicasan shows he is beyond politics. https://t.co/xV2YJ2O4NC
— Karen Davila (@iamkarendavila) May 23, 2022
She even shared an interesting fact with Laguesma, who served “under five presidents.”
Incoming DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma has worked under 5 presidents – the first being the late Pres Ferdinand Marcos #ANCHeadstart https://t.co/31aqJhvYkY
— Karen Davila (@iamkarendavila) May 24, 2022
On Ople, Davila hailed Marcos Jr for making the right decision to appoint the former DOLE undersecretary.
“TOOTS OPLE! Best appointment so far! Good choice by Marcos Jr,” she tweeted.
TOOTS OPLE! Best appointment so far! Good choice by Marcos Jr #ANCHeadstart https://t.co/Nv8VVqJy37
— Karen Davila (@iamkarendavila) May 24, 2022
Meanwhile, ABS-CBN ouster and known red-tagger Crispin “Boying” Remulla will head the Department of Justice (DOJ), with Marcos Jr’s campaign manager Benhur Abalos being the new Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) chief.
According to Rodriguez, other names will be revealed on Friday, May 27, to complete the Philippine President’s alter egos.
