PBBM appoints career diplomat Manalo to top DFA post, Cruz as chief presidential protocol
PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. has named Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations Enrique Manalo as his Secretary of Foreign Affairs (SFA), high-ranking sources revealed to the Businessmirror.
The President, meanwhile, picked another career diplomat, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary Adelio Cruz, as chief of protocol.
Manalo flew from New York and took his oath in Malacañang on Friday morning to take over the post vacated by Teodoro Locsin Jr.
Manalo, 69, rose from the ranks of the Foreign Service and retired in 2018.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte appointed him acting SFA in 2017 after the appointment of the late former Secretary Perfecto Yasay was rejected by the Commission on Appointments.
Manalo’s brief tenure as acting SFA earned him the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Gold Cross, one of the highest civilian orders in the country.
Duterte later named Manalo as Philippine ambassador to Germany and then to the UN in New York in 2020.
He came from a family of diplomats—being a son of the late former Ambassador Armando Manalo and stepson of Ambassador Rosario Manalo—who both served in the administration of the late strongman and former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.
Sources said Cruz took his oath at the Malacañang as chief of presidential protocol after Manalo also on morning Friday.
Cruz will also serve as the presidential assistant for foreign affairs, vice Robert Borje, who was appointed as Climate Change Commission vice chair last March.
As chief of presidential protocol, Cruz will be in charge of the visits of foreign dignitaries to Malacañang and assist President Marcos Jr. and his delegation during official visits overseas.
Prior to this new post, he was the assistant secretary of the DFA for civilian security. He also served as the consul general to Los Angeles, USA and Xiamen, China.