MANILA - The camp of presumptive President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Monday said it is "looking" at the possibility of appointing to government positions some candidates who lost in the 2022 local and national elections.

Under the law, losing candidates may only be appointed to a government office at least one year after the elections.

"We're looking at some possible personalities but I think most of them would rather enjoy their much needed vacation for 1 year," Vic Rodiguez, Marcos Jr.'s spokesperson, told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

"Pangit din naman magsabi ako ng pangala at hindi pa sila nakakausap. We have always been respectful of people's preferences and their choices," he said.

Marcos Jr. is not looking at party colors when choosing his appointees, his spokesperson said.

"After May 9, hindi na namin pinag-uusapan yung color-color," he said, adding that Marcos Jr.'s call for unity was "not just a campaign messaging."

In terms of the qualities they are looking for in officials who will work under the Marcos Jr. administration, Rodriguez said: "'Yung may pagmamahal sa bansa, 'yung may respeto sa Konstitusyon at 'yung may pagkilala sa watawat."

"'Yung kailanman hindi nanawagan sa pagpapabagsak ng gobyerno dahil bukod sa unity, we need stability at this point in time in our government and in our lives," he said.

"Kahit anong parti-partidong gawin we will not have an election between now and 3 years. We will not have a presidential election between now and 2028 so ano pa ba ang gagawin natin? Let us unite and rally behind at tulungan natin," he said.

"Hanggat [nasa] tama, samahan natin at pag nagkamali-mali nang ginagawa at hindi na tapat sa bayan, be the first to condemn him or her or us," he said.

Marcos Jr. is waiting for the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to officially proclaim him as the winner of the 2022 presidential elections before he grants more interviews to discuss his upcoming administration, Rodriguez said.

"Tapusin lang natin yung proclamation. Baka sabihin atat or something," he said.

"Antayin lang natin and that's the start of when we move openly," he said.

So far, Marcos Jr. has named incoming Vice President Sara Duterte as his Department of Education (DepEd) secretary, and campaign manager Benhur Abalos as chief of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

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