President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has appointed veteran television host Arnaldo Arevalo “Arnell” Ignacio as the new Chief of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Malacañang announced on Wednesday, Aug. 10.

In a statement, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles confirmed the appointment.

Ignacio extended his gratitude to Marcos and his colleagues for trusting him.

“Reading the news. Buffering ako, halos hindi ako makapaniwala. Maraming salamat sa tiwala Mr. PBBM, aking mga kasama sa OWWA, and all the stakeholders,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

In 2016, Ignacio previously served as Assistant Vice President for the Community Relation and Services Department of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) under the Duterte Administration.

He was then appointed as the OWWA’s deputy executive director in 2018 and resigned from the post after one year.

Ignacio will be replacing vice Hans Cacdac who will be serving as Undersecretary of welfare and foreign employment under the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

Marcos also appointed Mary Melanin Quiño and Emma Sinclair as deputy administrators of OWWA.

While Bernard Olalia will serve as the officer in charge (OIC) of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

Venecio Legaspi, a former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Saudi Arabia has been appointed as Assistant Secretary for Reintegration.