2 hours ago
1
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
Helen Flores - The Philippine Star
May 26, 2026 | 12:00am
Former senator Francis Tolentino is sworn in by President Marcos as the new acting secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment, replacing Bienvenido Laguesma who quit for health reasons.
STAR / File
MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has appointed former senator Francis Tolentino as acting secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), replacing Bienvenido Laguesma.
Tolentino – who ran but lost under the administration-backed Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate in the May 2025 senatorial race – took his oath of office before Marcos at Malacañang on Monday afternoon.
“President Marcos trusts acting secretary Tolentino’s capability to lead the DOLE because of his wide experience in handling key government functions, local and national,” Palace spokesperson Claire Castro said in Filipino.
Tolentino lost in the 2025 senatorial race, finishing 25th. His appointment came after the lifting of the one-year ban on appointing candidates who lost in the 2025 elections.
Castro said Laguesma stepped down due to health reasons. “Due to his health condition, it has become necessary to appoint an acting labor secretary,” she said.
Asked whether Laguesma would be appointed to a different post, Castro said she could not preempt the President’s decision, adding that it would also depend on the former labor chief’s health.
Meanwhile, Castro said she has no information regarding a rumored shakeup in the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
“I’ve received no such report,” she said when asked to confirm reports that DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla would be replaced by the agency’s former head, Benhur Abalos.
Abalos, who likewise ran under Alyansa, also failed to secure a Senate seat in the 2025 polls.
