Luli Arroyo, FlorCruz named envoys

MANILA, Philippines — A former president’s only daughter and an activist turned journalist who found refuge in China are among the latest diplomats of the Marcos administration.

The Commission in Appointments received the nomination of Evangelina Lourdes Arroyo as ambassador to Austria. Luli is the only daughter of former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Another nomination now pending with the CA is that of Jaime FlorCruz as ambassador to the People’s Republic of China.

Former CNN bureau chief FlorCruz was on a study grant to China along with the late Chito Sta. Romana – the Duterte administration’s ambassador to China – when martial law was declared by the first Marcos presidency and forced them to stay there.

The CA received the nominations of officials from Oct 6 to Nov. 7, including that of 12 Cabinet secretaries as well as other foreign service military officers from Malacañang.

Among these are that of Secretaries Ivan John Uy for the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Maria Susana Ople for migrant workers, Raphael Perpetuo Lotila for energy, Benjamin Diokno for finance, Renato Solidum for science and technology.

Also included are Secretaries Jaime Bautista for transportation, Manuel Bonoan for public works, Erwin Tulfo for social welfare, Alfredo Pascual for trade and industry, Jose Acuzar for human settlements, director general Arsenio Balisacan for the National Economic and Development Authority and Lucas Bersamin as executive secretary.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, however, said the CA might not be able to immediately tackle the nomination of the members of President Marcos’ Cabinet as the Senate needs to prioritize the hearing of the proposed 2023 budget amounting to P5.268 trillion.

“We need to postpone CA hearings starting tomorrow. We will resume perhaps by Nov. 22 to 23… because ideally there wouldn’t be (hearings) because 12 senators are members of CA, they are also vice chairpersons of the finance committee,” Zubiri noted.

He said when the CA hearing resumes, “Our plan to tackle two appointees per day will only be delayed a little.”