President Marcos appointed former senator Francis Tolentino as acting secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment, replacing Bienvenido Laguesma who stepped down for health reasons.
Tolentino, who finished 25th in the May 2025 senatorial race under the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate, took his oath of office before Marcos at Malacañang on Monday afternoon. The appointment followed the lifting of a one-year ban on appointing losing candidates from the 2025 elections.
Palace spokesperson Claire Castro said Marcos trusts Tolentino’s capability due to his wide experience in key government functions. She added that Laguesma resigned because of his health condition.
Castro stated she has no information on rumored changes at the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
