Governor admits asking Marcos Jr. to appoint wife as envoy

MANILA, Philippines —   Isabela Gov. Rodolfo Albano III has admitted that he had asked President Marcos to appoint his wife as ambassador to Japan.

“Yes, that’s right. We have an advantage in Isabela. That’s what I asked the President when he assumed his post. The President accommodated my request,” Albano said.

Albano’s wife, Mylene, is the first female Philippine ambassador to Japan.

Albano said he took advantage of his wife’s appointment to seek assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

“I want JICA to conduct a study on Cagayan River. Do you know that we don’t have JICA studies for the river basin of Cagayan? I want to ask the Japanese to study the Cagayan River Basin so we’ll know  how to mitigate flooding and erosion in the largest river in the country,” he said.

Albano was in Germany when Uwan devastated provinces in Northern Luzon including Isabela.

In November 2024, Albano was also abroad when six successive typhoons hit Isabela. He said he  was almost suspended for traveling while his province was being battered by cyclones.

Albano said he was in Switzerland buying a rice fortification machine when typhoons Kristine, Leon, Marce, Nika, Ofel and Pepito devastated Isabela. The typhoons entered the province in a span of three weeks.

“I had selfish motives when I requested the appointment of my wife as ambassador to Japan – to obtain help for a study on the Cagayan River. We are always affected by typhoons. I had an advantage over other governors in 2024, but in 2025, I included them in the proposed study to be conducted by Japanese experts,” Albano said.

He said he would travel to Japan in the coming days as the Japanese government has invited him to attend a seminar on how to prepare for and mitigate the impact of tsunamis.

Albano defended Marcos for appointing his wife.

“Maybe he saw that this region is pitiful. JICA needs to focus on this region because 42 percent of rice in Metro Manila comes from Cagayan Valley,” Albano said.

He attributed the government‘s suspension of the rice importation to Isabela‘s sufficient harvest.

“For the past two months and until December, we haven’t been importing rice because supply is stable in our province.  We are modernizing our agricultural practices in Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya  and Quirino,” he said.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government said it would investigate local officals who were abroad when Typhoon Tino and Super Typhoon Uwan struck the country.