Marcos leads oath taking of Cabinet members

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos yesterday administered the oath of some of his Cabinet members and officials of the Ilocos region, including his son, Ilocos Norte first district Rep. Sandro Marcos.

Marcos swore in his Cabinet members, one of his first official acts as Chief Executive, shortly after being accorded arrival honors in Malacañang.

The President administered the oath even if he has yet to announce his appointees for some agencies, including foreign affairs, environment, science, health and energy departments.

Marcos also administered the oath of his son Sandro and other officials of Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.

“This is a very important chance for me. When else will I be able to swear in as president, our mayors, our congressmen, and our officials from Ilocos Norte?” the President said during the event.

“So I told Sandro, bring them all here so I can say that I administered the oath of my son, who is a new congressman and all our colleagues in Ilocos Norte,” he added.

Before the oath taking, Marcos was given arrival honors as he entered the Palace for the first time as President. There was a drizzle as he was entering the Palace, prompting him and his companions to use umbrellas.

Marcos, along with his family, ascended the Malacañang grand staircase at 3:38 p.m., symbolizing his assumption to power.

Meanwhile, former transport chief Arthur Tugade said Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista is likely to continue the implementation of big-ticket projects and policies of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) under the Duterte administration.

“As we step down from office, I implore you to give the same, if not more than, amount of support and trust to the next administration,” Tugade said in a statement.

“Incoming Transportation Secretary Jimmy Bautista has my full support as he committed to study and continue the big-ticket projects and policies of the DOTr,” he said.

One of the projects that Tugade wanted the current administration to continue is the public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program which the DOTr started in 2017.

Tugade during his term aggressively pushed for the fleet modernization program to provide the commuters a safe, convenient and comfortable travel, while also promoting an environment-friendly road transport service that would improve the overall road transport industry in the country.

“As what we have vowed six years ago, we shall be leaving this organization better than what it was before we came in,” he said.

Tugade assured the new administration of his team’s help and support, saying its success is also the success of the Filipino people.

Tugade and Bautista held a meeting last Tuesday at the DOTr’s office in Clark, Pampanga to discuss the agency’s ongoing projects and its accomplishments in the last six years.

“Six years ago, my heart was full of hope and enthusiasm to give Filipinos an improved quality of life. After six years, my hope and enthusiasm remain the same,” Tugade said.

“Looking at how far we have come, I can proudly say that our toil was not in vain,” he said.

Bautista will inherit problems that had bedeviled Tugade in recent months, such as the impact of rising fuel prices and the still raging COVID-19 pandemic.

Bautista, long-time former president and chief operating officer of Philippine Airlines, earlier said he aims to raise the Philippine transport industry to global standards once he takes the helm of the agency.

Newly appointed Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Erwin Tulfo, for his part, vowed to keep contractual employees while the country continues to suffer from the pandemic. Tulfo assumed the top DSWD post from Rolando Joselito Bautista. – Richmond Mercurio, Rainier Allan Ronda