Former Senator Francis Tolentino is reportedly under consideration to lead the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as rumors of a Cabinet shakeup intensify following the 2025 midterm elections.
According to insider reports published by the news website Bilyonaryo, discussions surrounding a potential reorganization within the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. gained momentum after the constitutional ban on appointing losing election candidates expired, granting Malacañang greater flexibility to adjust its leadership lineup.
Tolentino, who campaigned under the administration’s “Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas” coalition, failed to keep his seat in the upper chamber after a 25th-place finish in the 2025 senatorial race.
The veteran public servant has faced turbulent election cycles before. He previously served as the chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) before launching an unsuccessful first bid for the Senate in 2016.
Following that defeat, Tolentino filed a protest accusing then-Senator Leila de Lima of electoral fraud after she secured the twelfth and final winning spot. The case was ultimately declared moot and academic when Tolentino successfully won a Senate seat during the 2019 midterm elections.
The labor portfolio is currently held by DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma. At present, neither Tolentino nor Malacañang has issued an official statement to confirm or deny the rumored appointment.