Poe eyes Governor Salceda as Cabinet member

Presidential bet Senator Grace Poe is considering Albay Governor Joey Salceda to be part of her Cabinet should she win the presidency in the May 9 elections.

"If he will agree, of course," Poe said Thursday when asked if she is considering Salceda, who bolted the ruling Liberal Party to throw his support behind Poe, for a Cabinet post under her administration.

"Basta ang alam ko magaling siya sa ekonomiya, magaling siya sa organisasyon. At kahit na anong administrasyon, kahit hindi sa akin, sa tingin ko malaking maitutulong ni governor," Poe said.

"Ang galing niya sa expertise sa economics, sa administration, talagang valuable ally si governor," she added.

Salceda served as economic adviser to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and also her chief of staff.

In 2010, he joined the Liberal Party as Bicol’s regional chair. However, in 2016, he left the party in support of Poe’s candidacy.

Aside from Salceda, four other governors in the Bicol region have thrown their support behind Poe’s presidential bid.

Poe said Salceda’s show of support would be of great help in her campaign. 

“Siyempre, malaking tulong, malaki rin ang Bicol. At saka hindi lamang sa Bicol ang impluwensiya ng ating governor. Ewan ko kung alam ni Governor pero maraming mga local government ang tumitingin sa kanya kung sino'ng susuportahan niya,” she said. —Kiersnerr Gerwin Tacadena/KBK, GMA News