PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. stuck to tradition and even revived bi-annual vin d’honneur diplomatic reception which he hosted yesterday at the National Museum after being sworn in as 17th president of the country.
It was Marcos’ first official activity as president. His immediate predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, hosted a diplomatic reception only at the start of his term in 2016.
During the event, Marcos thanked foreign dignitaries for their countries’ support to the Philippines especially in its efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change.
He said he has discussed the issue of climate change with some of the foreign representatives during their courtesy calls, and related problems the country is facing.
“I am especially struck by the importance that all of your countries have come to put on climate change. I believe that it was unanimous, all the ambassadors, all the representatives from the different countries who I have met with have each made offers of help in terms of mitigation and adaptation to climate change. As I mentioned in my speech it is something that is terribly important simply because for the Philippines, we are very much in the most vulnerable position compared to many other countries,” he said.
In his inaugural address prior to the event, he said the “rich world” is doing less about climate mitigation while smaller countries suffer more death and destruction due to climate change and lack of adaptation.
He emphasized the need to clean up beaches amid the worsening pollution in the country, caused by plastic materials.
He also reiterated the importance of the country’s alliances with other governments and of strengthening international partnerships which he said would help strengthen the Philippines’ pandemic recovery and improve its ties with other nations.
“We have seen and it has been proven to us very clearly in the past weeks and months how interconnected the world is now, how interconnected the economies are, how interconnected political systems are, how interconnected even our cultural and educational relationships are. We can only go from here to strength, and to strength and to strength,” he said.
“That is something that we will work with very, very clearly,” he said.
After the event, Marcos proceeded to Malacañang where he was accorded full military arrival honors.
Marcos, wife Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos, and their sons Sandro, Simon and Vincent made their first walk from the Kalayaan ground to the Malacañan Palace. They are reportedly taking residence at the Palace.
Inside the Palace, Marcos administered the oath to his Cabinet, including Vice President Sara Duterte who will be concurrent Education secretary.
“I suppose this is the first act of actual work that we will be doing for this administration. So, let’s get the official part done so that we can get over the job,” said Marcos who is concurrent secretary of the Department of Agriculture.
The Cabinet is expected to hold its first meeting on July 1.
Others who took their oath were Victor Rodriguez, executive secretary; Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr., interior secretary; Crispin Remulla, justice; Bienvenido Laguesma, labor; Karlo Nograles, chairman of the Civil Service Commission.
Alfredo Pascual, trade secretary; Emmanuel Bonoan, public works; Christina Garcia-Fracso, tourism secretary; Erwin Tulfo, social welfare; Antonio Lagdameo, special assistant to the president.
Arsenio Balisacan, head of the National Economic and Development Authority; Clarita Carlos, national security adviser; Conrado Estrella III; agrarian reform; Susan Ople, migrant workers; Benjamin Diokno, finance; Alfredo Pascual, trade; Felipe Medalla, governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; Rose Beatrix “Trixie” Cruz-Angeles, press secretary; Jaime “Jimmy” Bautista, transportation; Silvestre Bello III, Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO).
Marcos has also appointed former Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) deputy administrator Cesar Chavez as transportation undersecretary for rails, businessman Christopher Pastrana as general manager of the Philippine Ports Authority; lawyer and former Malaya reporter Cheloy Garafil as chairwoman of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB); and former Bangko Sentral assistant governor Lilia Guillermo as Bureau of Internal Revenue head.
Other appointees are former Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile as presidential legal counsel; Menardo Guevarra, solicitor general; retired Armed Forces chief Jose Faustino Jr. officer-in-charge of the Department of National Defense; and retired Philippine National Police chief Ricardo de Leon as director general of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA).
