By Alec Go
The camp of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has named the personalities and officials who will join the next administration’s Cabinet, including those who will lead the tourism and social welfare departments.
Atty. Trixie Cruz-Angeles, incoming press secretary, said in a briefing on May 30 that broadcaster Erwin Tulfo will lead the Department of Social Welfare and Development, while Vice President-elect Sara Duterte’s spokesperson Christina Frasco will head the Department of Tourism.
Maria Zenaida Angping, a three-term lawmaker, was nominated to become the next secretary of Presidential Management Staff. Angeles cited Angping’s “professional experience in the field of public service and administration, international relations, and diplomacy.”
The Department of Budget and Management will soon be headed by Amenah Pangandaman, who has “over two decades of policy development in finance expertise,” and served under the same agency as assistant secretary, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Former Commission on Information and Communications Technology chairperson Ivan John Enrile Uy has been nominated to become the next Department of Information and Communications Technology’s secretary.
Marcos’ press secretary said the basis for the selection of the nominees is “their experience in public service and proven service records.”
Meanwhile, the invitation to President Rodrigo Duterte to become the next drug czar has not yet been formalized.
“His (Marcos Jr.) words were [that] it wasn’t a formal invitation, but if he should want to, then he certainly would be considered,” she said.
Read more: More named to join Marcos Jr’s Cabinet

To date, 18 nominees have been named to join the Marcos administration’s cabinet. – gb