MANILA- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday appointed Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) Executive Minister Eduardo V. Manalo as a special envoy for overseas Filipino concerns.

• Appointment of INC's Manalo not payback from Duterte - Palace

Manalo is the eldest son of the late INC executive minister Eraño Manalo.

The INC, known for its bloc-voting practice, endorsed Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte in the 2022 national elections.

He was last appointed to the post during President Rodrigo Duterte's administration, with then spokesman Harry Roque Jr. citing the INC executive's "vast network" abroad.

This comes as the Philippine Communications Office (PCO) announced appointments for new undersecretaries and envoys for labor, foreign affairs and urban housing and development.

Jesus Domingo, formerly the Philippines' envoy to New Zealand, is now a DFA undersecretary, while Norman Vincent L. Wee is the Special Envoy of the United Arab Emirates for Trade and Investments.

Mark Anthony Diamante was appointed Director III at the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development. Grace Tan is now chairperson of the Department of Labor and Employment's National Labor Relations Commission, while Allan S. Montano will now be a member of the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council as the labor sector's representative.

Meanwhile, Pablo M. Lorenzo was appointed Department of National Defense undersecretary.