BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – A tollways chief, a finance expert and a former university president-turned-development banker are among the members of President-Elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s economic team who will also head key government departments.
Marcos said in a news conference today that he will be tapping chief banker Benjamin Diokno to head the finance department, an offer that Diokno had already accepted.
He also named former University of the Philippines president Alfredo Pascual, whom he described as a friend, as his trade secretary.
The public works portfolio, on the other hand, was offered to Manuel “Manny” Bonoan who heads the tollways of private firm San Miguel Corporation.
“It is important to have a strong economic team to raise confidence among new and old investors” Jose Lizael Lampines, a professor of State run Carlos Hilado Memorial State University told DNX.
Lampines, who chairs the Arts and Sciences program of the university who also lectures on public policy, said the incoming administration needs to shore up revenues amid the effects of an economy slowed down by the COVID pandemic.
He added the promises of Marcos to bring down rice and power prices can make or break the new president.
