Bongbong to adopt 'Team of Rivals' concept in assembling Cabinet, says sister Imee

President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is adopting the "team of rivals" concept in assembling his official family, his sister, Senator Imee Marcos, said Friday.

Under this concept, Imee said her brother's Cabinet will include officials who are aligned with their political rivals like members of the Liberal Party.

"Yes, definitely," Imee told Dobol B TV when asked if it's possible for her brother to pick officials associated with the Liberal Party to be part of his administration.

"Halimbawa, sa [administrasyon ng] ating yumaong presidente Noynoy Aquino, marami doong sinasabing technocrat, hindi naman sila pulitiko. Bakit naman natin sisitahin?" Imee said, citing incoming National Economic and Development Authority chief Archie Balisacan, who held the same post under Noynoy Aquino's administration.

The "team of rivals" concept was popularized by the late US President Abraham Lincoln, who appointed some of his rivals to his Cabinet during his term.

The former US President Barack Obama is said to have used the concept as a model for constructing his own Cabinet.

Imee said the country's political situation makes it difficult to appoint rivals to the government, but an administration could instead appoint the rival's allies.

The Aquinos are the Marcoses' longtime political rivals.

UniTeam

By appointing personalities associated with his rivals, Bongbong is just being true to his "UniTeam" campaign slogan, Imee said.

"UniTeam ang ating theme, kailangan panindigan natin ang pagkakaisa kahit samu't-sari ang ideolohiya sa pulitika, eh lahat tayo ay Pilipino kaya dapat sama-sama," she said.

Imee also mentioned that their father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., also appointed critics to his government. She cited former senator Kit Tatad, a student leader who became minister of public information.

Like father

Asked if Bongbong shares the same view as their father’s, Imee said: "Sa palagay ko ganun din ang pananaw dahil ‘yan din ang kinampanya niya na UniTeam, so kailangan tuloy-tuloy ‘yon not just the campaign slogan."

"It should be a program and platform of government na palaging kinukonsulta ang kabila, na parating kasama ang iba't-ibang sektor at talagang hindi nanggagaling sa taas ang desisyon kundi nagmumula sa ibaba," she added.

Imee said there are also qualified individuals from previous administrations who can serve in the Cabinet, particularly in the Department of Agrarian Reform and the Department of Agriculture, and help the incoming administration. —KBK, GMA News