‘What ties these stories together is a common thread: the erosion of institutional integrity in favor of personal loyalty. When appointments are dictated by who you know rather than what you know, the system suffers.’
IN our country, where public service is often romanticized as a noble calling, it is telling — and troubling — that some of the nation’s most capable professionals have quietly declined invitations to serve the Philippine flag, the government, and the people.
Don’t get me wrong. Sources close to the corridors of power say those who reportedly turned down Malacañang’s offers are professionals with sterling credentials and a deep sense of patriotism. Their reluctance is not due to a lack of will, but because they’ve seen enough to know better. The problem, insiders add, isn’t the mission — it’s the machinery.
Some of the President’s appointees, particularly those close to the inner circle, are said to operate less like public servants and more like political operatives. Their influence, it seems, is not earned through competence but through proximity. And when proximity becomes the currency of power, merit takes a back seat.
Worse, there are reports that casual remarks and unverified gossip are being dressed up as intelligence and fed to the President and the First Lady.
If true, this is not just a communications failure — it’s a governance crisis. When the flow of information is compromised, so too is the quality of decision-making. And in a system where perception often trumps policy, the damage can be far-reaching.
Insiders cited Malacañang’s recent attempts to recruit two of the country’s most recognizable media figures — Philippine Star columnist Ron Jubal and DZRH broadcaster Anthony Taberna — to head the Presidential Communications Office (PCO). Both men declined. Respectfully, but firmly.
Their respectful refusal speaks volumes. Whether driven by professional caution, personal conviction, or political calculation, their decision reflects a deeper unease about the current state of President Marcos’s communications machinery — one that appears more focused on damage control than genuine public engagement.
Acting Secretary Jay Ruiz, a veteran journalist himself, was conspicuously absent from the list of retained Cabinet members announced by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on June 3.
Whether this signals a leadership change or just another case of bureaucratic ambiguity remains to be seen.
The deeper concern, however, is this: the PCO, once envisioned as the administration’s voice of clarity and coherence, now appears adrift, struggling to assert itself.
This was made glaringly evident in the recent rapid attacks by supporters of Vice President Inday Sara Duterte and former President Rodrigo Duterte, who openly mocked the appointment of new PNP Chief Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III.
Several of the current undersecretaries and assistant secretaries are reportedly vloggers — individuals whose backgrounds suggest more flair for self-promotion than the strategic depth and professional experience required for effective government messaging.
And there are whispers — persistent ones — of individuals with questionable backgrounds attempting to influence the selection process.
In a time when misinformation spreads faster than facts, Malacañang cannot afford to get this wrong. The public deserves clarity, not confusion. Credibility, not cronyism.
Doubts over the appointment of Raphael “Popoy” Lotilla as DENR Secretary are also expected to persist, given his previous ties to AboitizPower.
Though Lotilla resigned from AboitizPower upon his nomination as Energy secretary in 2022, questions about conflict of interest have not gone away — and are expected to continue hounding him now that he heads the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
As we all know, the DENR plays a critical role in regulating coal imports and ensuring environmental sustainability.
In July 2024, progressive groups filed a graft complaint against Lotilla, accusing him of violating a coal moratorium by endorsing the expansion of Aboitiz’s Therma Visayas plant in Cebu. The complaint, filed by Sanlakas, the Power for People Coalition, and labor leader Leody De Guzman, alleges violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The optics are hard to ignore. Sabin Aboitiz, the group’s CEO, is a known supporter of President Marcos. His children are schoolmates and friends of the President’s children. His wife, Bettina Araneta, is a relative of the First Lady. These are not just coincidences — they are connections. And in Philippine politics, connections often speak louder than qualifications.
What ties these stories together is a common thread: the erosion of institutional integrity in favor of personal loyalty. When appointments are dictated by who you know rather than what you know, the system suffers. When information is filtered through layers of flattery and fear, the truth gets lost. And when public trust is treated as expendable, governance becomes a game of survival, not service.
Malacañang still has time to course-correct. But it must start by asking hard questions: Who is shaping the President’s view of the country and the world? Who is speaking truth to power — and who is just speaking to stay in power?
In the end, leadership is not just about making decisions. It’s about creating an environment where the right decisions can be made.
