Former Labor secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, overseas Filipino workers advocate Susan “Toots” Ople, and economist Arsenio Balisacan have accepted offers to join the Cabinet of incoming President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
This was confirmed to reporters by Marcos’ chief of staff and spokesperson, lawyer Vic Rodriguez, Monday afternoon, hours after Cavite Rep. Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla revealed he accepted the post of Justice Secretary.
The development put at seven those who have accepted Marcos’ invitation to serve under his administration come 30 June 2022 when he is sworn into office as the country’s 17th President.
On Sunday, Rodriguez said he accepted his posting as Executive Secretary, ditto with Vice President-in-waiting Sara Duterte-Carpio as Education Secretary, and former mayor Benhur Abalos as Interior and Local Government Secretary days back.
Laguesma will lead the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), a position he held from 1998 to 2001 under the Joseph Estrada administration.
A lawyer, Laguesma was also a former commissioner of the Social Security System, and an administrator of the National Conciliation and Mediation Board from 1987 to 1990. He also served as Presidential Assistant from 1996 to 1998.
Ople will be the first Secretary of the newly established Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and will lead the formation of its transition roadmap a year before it becomes operational. She served as DoLE undersecretary during the term of then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
She is the youngest daughter of the late Senator Blas Ople, who served as Labor secretary during the administration of the late president Ferdinand Marcos for 17 years.
Return to NEDA
Balisacan, likewise, accepted the offer to be the Secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). Marcos said he personally picked Balisacan because they have the same ideas when it comes to solving the economic crisis brought about by the global pandemic.
“I asked him to return to NEDA. I worked with him extensively during my time as governor. We have very similar thinking,” Marcos told reporters during a press conference at his campaign headquarters in Mandaluyong City.
Balisacan previously served as secretary of socioeconomic planning and, concurrently, director-general of NEDA under the administration of the late president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino from 2012 to 2016.
“I am confident, I know that he is very competent, I know that his policies are for the betterment of our country, for the employment, development of our economy,” he said.
Aside from NEDA, Balisacan headed other government agencies like the Philippine Competition Commission, Philippine Statistics Authority, Philippine Institute for Development Studies, Philippine Center for Economic Development, and Public-Private Partnership Center.
Prior to his government stint, he was a professor and dean of the School of Economics of the University of the Philippines Diliman.
Balisacan was one of the key persons credited for the performance of the Philippine economy during the Aquino administration.
From 2010 to 2016, the average growth of the Philippine economy was recorded at 6.2 percent, the country’s fastest in 40 years.
“After over six years of leading the Philippine Competition Commission, I will join the new Cabinet, mindful of the immense work needed to accelerate economic recovery and post-recovery development,” Balisacan said.
“In returning to a post I have previously held, we rely on experience and judicious reckoning of socioeconomic issues to build stronger foundations for a more robust, more inclusive, and more resilient Philippine economy,” he added.
Very good lawyer
Marcos also confirmed that he picked Remulla to be the next Secretary of the Department of Justice (DoJ).
“Many people do not know that he is actually a very, very good lawyer. So, I think he would fit very nicely into the DoJ,” he said.
Marcos asked the public to give him a “few more days” to formally announce potential members of his Cabinet, saying that all will be very much involved in the redevelopment and recovery of the Philippine economy.
Remulla said he “did not apply for the job” and was surprised when Marcos asked him to meet him “a few days after the elections.” There, he said, Marcos invited him to join his Cabinet.
“He told me that ‘we cannot afford to fail. We have to do a good job.’ He has no other intention but to do the best job possible for the people,” Remulla said.
“We call this a very rare chance given by the people to serve. So the opportunity is there to do it, and do it the best way possible,” he added.
The 9 May election results showed that Marcos garnered over 1.1 million votes in the Remulla clan’s bailiwick. Marcos’ closest challenger, Vice President Leni Robredo, received almost half a million votes there.
Remulla is one of the sons of former Cavite Gov. Juanito Remulla Sr., a known Marcos Sr. supporter in the 1970s. The elder Remulla was one of the top 10 bar examinees in 1956.
In a separate television interview, the veteran lawmaker, who recently won reelection unopposed, said while he already accepted the job offer, he still has to fulfill his duties as a congressman.
“I still have to fulfill my duties hereunder this Congress, a lot of things still need to be done. But it’s a duty to serve our country in the best way possible,” he said. “We have to go through the confirmation process before we resign. That has been the tradition.”
