MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Cebuano businessman Philip Lo as the new head of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, Malacañang said Wednesday .
Lo, who previously served as the chairman of the Development Bank of the Philippines, took his oath of office before the President in a ceremony in Malacañang.
Before his designation to the presidential post with the rank of Cabinet secretary, Lo also served as a director in both the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation from 2002 to 2010 and Cocogen Insurance, Inc. (formerly UCPB General Insurance).
In the private sector, he was the chairman of Coast Pacific Group of Companies and Toyota Mabolo Cebu, Inc.
Lo took up a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Santo Tomas. He has completed specialized training in Corporate Governance.
The Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas serves as the coordinating arm between Malacañang, national government agencies, and local government units to facilitate the implementation of the administration's priority initiatives.
Meanwhile, Marcos also administered the oath of office to lawyer Nesauro Firme as ad interim member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), representing the academe.
The JBC is the constitutional body tasked with screening and nominating candidates for vacancies in the judiciary and the offices of the Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman.
