Francis Tolentino named acting DOLE chief after Laguesma quits

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 3:47 p.m.) — Former senator Francis Tolentino has been named acting secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment after Bienvenido Laguesma resigned due to health concerns, Malacañang announced Monday, May 25.

The change places Tolentino at the helm of the agency handling labor policy, employment programs, workplace standards, labor relations and worker welfare, and gives him a seat in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s Cabinet.

In a statement released by DOLE, Laguesma said he was stepping down because of health considerations that now require his full attention.

"To ensure the Department's continuous focus on the promotion of gainful employment opportunities and human resource development, protection and promotion of workers' rights and welfare, and the promotion and maintenance of industrial peace while I need to prioritize my health for now, I have thus made this necessary call with a systematic transition in process," Laguesma said.

Laguesma thanked Marcos for the trust placed in him and said public service had been his "life's calling" after nearly three decades in government.

"If there is any legacy I hope to leave behind, it is that we served with integrity, compassion, and a genuine desire to make a difference in the lives of others," he said.

Laguesma had led DOLE since the start of the Marcos administration in 2022.

Tolentino, a lawyer and former Senate majority leader, served as senator from 2019 to 2025. He ran on Marcos' slate during the 2025 midterms for reelection but lost to newcomers Camille Villar and Rodante Marcoleta, who were both part of the rival lineup allied with Vice President Sara Duterte.

He previously chaired major Senate panels, including the Blue Ribbon Committee, and served as chairperson of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority before his Senate term.

Tolentino's appointment comes as DOLE faces continuing issues on cost of living and wages, employment quality, the threat of artificial intelligence, worker protection and labor migration. — Reports from Martin Ramos and John Marwin Elao