Palace: Karlo Nograles is new Cabinet Secretary

President Rodrigo Duterte has chosen Davao City Representative Karlo Nograles as his next Cabinet Secretary, Malacañang said Monday.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo told reporters that Nograles took his oath in Malacañang on Monday, replacing Leoncio “Jun” Evasco Jr. who resigned last month to run for governor of Bohol province.

The Palace official said Nograles has the “trust and confidence” of the President.

Apart from Nograles, Duterte administered the oath of office to Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año. The former military chief had to wait for the one-year ban on appointing retired military or police officials to the DILG to lapse before he could assume the post of Secretary.

Año was first appointed to the DILG as undersecretary in October 2017 before he was named officer-in-charge last January.

Nograles once entertained the idea of seeking a Senate seat but in a statement on October 3 the Davao City first district representative said he would instead support Mindanaoan candidates “who share my desire to bring development to the regions and uplift the welfare of our kapwa probinsyanos.”

The three-term congressman’s seat in the House of Representatives is being eyed by the President's son, former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte.

As Cabinet Secretary, Nograles is expected under Executive Order 67 to assist the President in establishing the agenda topics for Cabinet deliberation and facilitate the discussion of Cabinet meetings.

The same order also mandates the Cabinet Secretary to participate in the National Economic and Development Authority Board and committee meetings.

"As a fellow Mindanaoan and kapwa probinsyano, I hope to contribute to government efforts to bring development to the regions through different programs that place an emphasis on providing more economic opportunities outside Metro Manila,” Nograles said in a statement. — KG/BM, GMA News