Selecting the agriculture secretary of President-elect Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr has proven to be painstaking because applicants have been many.

Incoming Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles told Wednesday's ''Laging Handa'' virtual public forum: "One of the priority agenda of the President-elect is agriculture and therefore the selection has to be done carefully."

"So to be fair, we have to go through all (of the applications), which is prolonging the selection (process)," Angeles said.

Marcos earlier said stabilizing the price of food and helping farmers and fisherfolks will be among his priority agenda.

In a related development, outgoing central bank governor Benjamin Diokno said Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, who is leaving the Department of Tourism, will be deputy governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

ABS-CBN, quoting Diokno, said Puyat's appointment is ''confirmed.'' ''We will make the necessary announcement,'' ABS-CBN quoted Diokno, who has been tapped by Marcos to be finance secretary.

Marcos tapped Liloan Mayor Christina Frasco, spokesperson of Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio as tourism secretary. DMS