Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Felipe M. Medalla said on Thursday, June 8, that if reappointed for a fresh six-year term, he will consider it a blessing to continue on as the central bank chief.
“From the very beginning, I always behave as though I would serve only for one year. Of course, it will be a blessing to be able to serve more than that,” Medalla told reporters.
Medalla, as BSP’s sixth governor, was appointed in June 2022 by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and took his oath of office on June 30. He has been a member of the Monetary Board, BSP's powerful policy-making body, since 2011.
Medalla served the last year of the six-year term of the late BSP chief, Nestor A. Espenilla Jr., who succumbed to cancer on Feb. 23, 2019, after serving less than two years as central bank governor. The other three years were served by the current Finance Secretary, Benjamin E. Diokno.
The 73-year old Medalla is the third governor to serve Espenilla’s original term. If reappointed before July 3 when his term expires, Medalla will serve another six years in office.
Medalla on Thursday said it was his duty to “do the best job I can do, to finish the term that was started by Gov Nesting and later on served by Gov Diokno.”
Marcos has yet to announce who will be the next BSP governor. There is high speculation that Malacanang will not look any further and a possible reappointment for Medalla is upcoming.
However, there are two or three more candidates hoping they get asked for the job, including one Monetary Board member.