After a year of keeping the post vacant, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has named lawyer Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. as Secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND), Malacañang said.

OFFICIAL DEFENSE CHIEF - President Marcos names lawyer Gilbert Teodoro as the permanent secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND) in a meeting with Defense Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr. in Malacañang on Monday, June 5. (Malacañang photo)

In a statement, Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said Marcos made the announcement on Monday, June 5.

President Marcos reportedly made the appointment after meeting Teodoro and Defense Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr. in Malacañang on the same day.

Teodoro's announcement came almost after the ban on appointing losing election candidates lapsed on May 9. Teodoro was part of the senatorial candidates of Marcos' Uniteam in the 2022 polls.

Reports of Teodoro's appointment circulated online over the weekend, but Malacañang said there were no appointments made at the time.

Teodoro is no stranger to DND as he held the same post during the term of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the youngest to become DND chief at the age of 43.

In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Teodoro has extensive experience in both the private and the public sectors to handle the defense portfolio.

He served as a three-term Member of Congress, representing the First District of Tarlac. He also assumed the role of Chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) during his first tenure as Secretary of Defense.

Teodoro has a Bachelor's degree in commerce, majoring in financial institutions from De La Salle University - Manila.

He completed his law degree and graduated at the top of his class at the University of the Philippines. He achieved the top rank in the 1989 Philippine Bar Examinations and furthered his legal education by obtaining a Master's in Law from Harvard University.

Throughout his career, Teodoro has received numerous accolades for his leadership and academic excellence. Notably, he was recognized as a Leadership Awardee and Seminar Academic Excellence Awardee during his time at the Air Command and Staff College, Air Education and Training Command Philippine Air Force Command, and Staff Course in 2001.

In 2003, he attended the Joint and Combined Staff Officers Course, Class Nr 1, JCSC in Camp Aguinaldo, where he was honored as a Leadership Awardee.