Marcos retains US, UN envoys; Lapid as TIEZA head

MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday retained three more officials from the previous administration in their respective posts.

Marcos retained actor and former Pampanga governor Mark Lapid as chief operating officer of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, according to a statement from Malacañang.

Also retained are former media executive Jose Manuel "Babe" Romualdez as Philippine ambassador to the United States and long-time envoy Antonio Manuel Lagdameo as ambassador and permanent representative of the Philippines to the United Nations.

Lapid, Romualdez, and Lagdameo were sworn in by Marcos in Malacañan Palace.

Earlier, Marcos renominated former Cabinet secretary Karlo Nograles as chairman of the Civil Service Commission.

He was one of former president Rodrigo Duterte's ad-interim appointees bypassed by the Commission on Appointments due to a lack of quorum.

Other appointees who also took their oath on Tuesday were Department of Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman; General Manager and President of the Government Service Insurance System Jose Arnulfo Veloso; and Presidential Security Group Commander and Senior Military Assistant Ramon Zagala.

Marcos’ camp announced the appointments of Pangandaman, Veloso, and Zagala on May 30, June 29, and June 30, respectively.

Others who took their oath were Quirino Rep. Junie Cua as chairperson of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office; Romeo Lumagui Jr. as deputy commissioner for operations of the Bureau of Internal Revenue; and former Basilan governor Abdulghani "Gerry" Salapuddin as administrator and chairperson of the Southern Philippines Development Authority.

Actor Tirso Cruz III took his oath as chairperson and chief executive of the Film Development Council and Juan Revilla as a board member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.

All appointees took their oath in Malacañan Palace. (PNA)