Presumptive president Ferdinand ' Bongbong' Marcos Jr. on Monday announced that he has tapped Arsenio Balisacan, a former Cabinet member of the Aquino administration, to return as the chief of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).
"I have also tapped an old friend who's also formerly in this position, Arse Balisacan, who is our former NEDA and I've asked him to return to NEDA," Marcos said during a press conference in his headquarters in Mandaluyong City.
"I've worked with him extensively at the time when I was governor, we have very similar thinking in that regard kaya't malakas ang loob ko (I am confident), I know he's very competent, I know his policies are policies that will be for the betterment of our country," he added.
Balisacan was the previous socioeconomic planning Secretary under the administration of the late President Noynoy Aquino. He also served as chairperson of the Philippine Competition Commission.
In the same presscon, Marcos' chief-of-staff Atty. Vic Rodriguez confirmed that Balisacan has accepted the offer.
So far, presumptive Vice President Sara Duterte and former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos have accepted the designations to lead the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), respectively.
He has also named Cavite 7th District Rep. Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla as justice secretary and Rodriguez as executive secretary.
