Marcoleta among Marcos’ picks for Energy chief

PRESIDENT-ELECT Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. is eyeing Party-list Rep. Rodante D. Marcoleta to become the next Energy chief.

Mr. Marcoleta, who is also House deputy speaker, is being considered to head the Department of Energy (DoE), incoming press secretary Rose Beatrix “Trixie” Cruz-Angeles told a televised news briefing on Wednesday.

Ms. Cruz-Angeles said that aside from Mr. Marcoleta, Rigoberto D. Tiglao and lawyer Karen Jimeno are also being considered for Cabinet positions.

“We can confirm that those names are being talked about but there are no decisions made yet as of now,” Ms. Cruz-Angeles said.

Mr. Marcoleta was elected to the 18th Congress as the representative of the Social Amelioration and Genuine Intervention on Poverty (SAGIP) party-list organization.

He ran for senator under Mr. Marcos’ ticket, but withdrew his candidacy just a few weeks before the May 9 elections.

In 2021, Mr. Marcoleta called for an early review of the law that gave Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) a legislative franchise, which expires in 2028. He alleged that Meralco overcharged its customers when the country was placed under one of the world’s longest and strictest lockdowns in 2020.

Mr. Marcoleta was also one of the lawmakers who opposed the franchise renewal bid of ABS-CBN Corp. in 2020.

Mr. Tiglao and Ms. Jimeno are reportedly among Mr. Marcos’ choices for presidential spokesperson.

Mr. Tiglao is currently a columnist for The Manila Times. He was the presidential spokesperson and chief of staff under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Ms. Jimeno has served as undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza