Cabinet member Zenaida Angping resigns? Marcos grants ‘time off’
Former Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief and former Manila Congresswoman Zenaida Angping
By Jennifer T. Santos
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has approved the request of Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Secretary Maria Zenaida “Naida” Angping for “personal” time off to attend to family matters.
There are reports, however, that Angping, a former Miss Caltex and three-term congresswoman of Manila’s third district, may eventually resign following reports that her husband, former Manila congressman Harry Angping, was arrested in a hotel in Bangkok for alleged sexual harassment. There are other reports she may later re-join the Marcos Cabinet.
If Angping officially resign, she will be the fourth ranking official to leave the Cabinet since Mr. Marcos assumed office on June 30, after Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz Angeles and Commission on Audit Chairman Jose Calida.
There are rumors that a fifth Cabinet member may yet go.
Harry Angping reportedly made unwanted sexual advances on a female housekeeping staff at the Marriott Marquis Queens Hotel, before the arrival of President Marcos and delegation there for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit from November 16 to 19.
It was gathered that the PMS chief reportedly was not allowed to fly to Bangkok after Malacanang learned of the incident involving her husband.
The Angping couple has not officially reacted to the reports on the Bangkok incident. The incident, however, was denied by the Office of the Press Secretary Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil, officer in charge of the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), and also denied the PMS chief was allegedly offloaded from the presidential plane flying to Bangkok while still in Manila.
Harry Angping, 70, a member of the Nacionalista Party, was Manila’s representative in the House of Representatives from 1998 to 2004. He also served as Philippine Sports Commission chairman from 2009 to 2010.
Harry had previously been barred from leaving the country after being charged with graft for allegedly hiring 71 janitors and nine gardeners without public bidding as then PSC boss in 2009.
Harry was acquitted by the Sandiganbayan and his hold departure order was lifted in 2018.
Zenaida, a former Miss Caltex beauty pageant winner in 1969, was a close aide of the late Leyte Governor Benjamin “Kokoy” Romualdez, uncle of Marcos and father of Speaker Martin Romualdez.
She also served as Manila’s Third District for three straight terms.
“Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Secretary Naida Angping has asked to take some personal time for herself and her family, and the President agreed,” Garafil said.
She, however, did not elaborate on Angping’s current status.
Angping’s appointment as PMS chief was announced on May 30, or a month before Marcos was sworn in as the country’s 17th chief executive.
She was also part of Marcos’ transition team.
The PMS’ primary function is to provide management and technical staff support to the Office of the President.
As PMS chief, Angping is mandated to provide assistance and advice to Marcos, as well as to monitor the management and development of national programs and projects.
