President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday named five more nominees for various department heads of the incoming administration.
In a press briefing, incoming press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said those nominated to Cabinet positions include Ivan John Uy as secretary-designate of the Department of Information and Communication Technology; Former Manila representative Naida Angping, as secretary-designate of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS); Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Assistant Governor Amenah Pangandaman, as secretary-designate of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM); Liloan Mayor Esperanza Christina Frasco, as secretary-designate of the Department of Tourism; and journalist Erwin Tulfo as secretary-designate of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Uy served as chairman of the Commission on Information and Communication and Technology in the Cabinet of former President Benigno Aquino III.
He is also the current corporate secretary of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), is a Humphrey fellow of the University of Minnesota, and is a well-known information technology (IT) law expert and a regular resource person for both houses of Congress on IT matters.
Uy vowed to focus on the digital infrastructure, which was among Marcos’ main programs and campaign promises.
“The president-elect’s vision of a digitally empowered citizenry actively participating in the increasingly digital economy would greatly help address nagging issues on poverty, job creation, bridging the digital divide making us globally competitive,” Uy said.
Angping served three terms as a congresswoman in the third district of Manila. She also served as technical assistant of the Office of the Governor of Leyte and executive assistant of former China, Saudi Arabia, and US Ambassador Benjamin Romualdez.
Pangandaman led various government offices before landing the role of managing director of the Office of the Governor and Executive Offices of the BSP in 2019.
She is also a former assistant secretary of the DBM and former chief of staff of the late Senate President Edgardo Angara.
Frasco recently won a second term as mayor of Liloan, a first-income-class municipality in Metro Cebu.
The daughter of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Frasco also served as the spokesperson of incoming Vice President Inday Sara Duterte in the May 9 elections.
The DOT welcomed the designation of Frasco and expressed hope that the momentum generated in the last few months towards the revival and recovery of the tourism industry would be carried over to the new administration.
Tulfo, a broadcaster and newspaper columnist, has long been known for helping through his “action center,” which became a refuge and destination for the poor and oppressed.
“I know that there’s a lot of work waiting at the DSWD. What I can promise is that I will try my best to serve our poor countrymen and those who are in need,” he said in a statement posted on his Facebook page.
Tulfo is the brother of incoming Senator Raffy Tulfo, who also rose to fame for his TV programs.
Meanwhile, incoming Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said he would take a more liberal approach to the work-from-home hybrid arrangement by allowing companies to decide on the proposed formalization of the 30/70 work set-up based on the viability of their businesses.
In an interview Monday, he said the nature of business will determine how the set-up works per industry.
“It will depend on the business of the company we’re talking about. If it’s a manufacturing company definitely has to be on site. If it’s work that requires more mental inputs, then that work can be done anywhere you are,” Pascual said.
“My position there is we leave it up to the management of the company to decide what’s best for them, and I think they will pick the best decision because their decisions will be anchored on the viability of their business,” he added.
Pascual said the work ratio is something that the DTI cannot and should not regulate, adding that the proposed set-up can be used as a guideline without forcing its application on all industries.
He said while he understands the value of having people go to their workplaces to spur the economy, the proposal can be supported “without being heavy-handed when some are dictating how to manage the modality of work.”
Also on Monday, Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas described the members of the Marcos Cabinet as “forward-looking, proactive, and competent.”
“The appointments give us confidence that the Filipino people will be in good hands. This is a Cabinet that will help our President-elect fulfill his promises to our countrymen and address whatever challenge may lie ahead,” Vargas said in a statement.
“Having known and worked with most of them in Congress and in my advocacies, I know that the incoming Cabinet will be an excellent and credible team composed of men and women who are forward-looking, proactive, and competent,” he said.
