Veteran diplomat Enrique Manalo has been appointed by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as the new secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles announced Friday.
Manalo, who succeeded former Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin, took his oath before Marcos at the Malacañang Palace on Friday.
"Yes it is confirmed. But he asked for a few days to wind up affairs in his previous post," Cruz-Angeles said.
In 2017, Manalo served briefly as acting secretary of the DFA when the ad-interim appointment of the late Perfecto Yasay Jr. was rejected by the Commission on Appointments.
He was also appointed as DFA Undersecretary for Policy under the administrations of Presidents Duterte and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Manalo also served as the Philippines' ambassador to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Belgium, and Luxemburg.
