OUTGOING Budget secretary Benjamin Diokno on Wednesday  hopes that his successor will neither be a “politician” nor “an ex-politician” and is considering recommending a “technocrat” for the job.

In his weekly “Breakfast with Ben,” Diokno, whom President Rodrigo Duterte appointed as the next Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipina governor, said he preferred a “non politician” to prevent the use of the budget 'as a way of gaining popularity or giving [in] to the request of some politicians.'