EDUARDO Año is staying as national secretary adviser, Malacañang announced yesterday as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said performance assessment of Cabinet members and other heads of government agencies will be done on a periodic basis.
Marcos has kept most of his key officials since ordering them to submit “courtesy resignations” on May 22 as part of efforts to “recalibrate” the Marcos administration.
In an ambush interview yesterday, he said the assessment of the remaining department secretaries and advisers continues.
He also said the performance review has been expanded to include other officials from undersecretary to lower ranks.
“We are still in the process of examining. Now, nasa baba na tayo (We are now in the lower levels). What happened really here was that I put everyone on notice that you are all on, basically, all on probation,” he said.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Año would stay in his post as long as his health allows him to do so,
Quoting the president, Castro said Año has been dealing with “health issues” since the COVID-19 pandemic. “`However, he has kindly agreed to stay on in the NSC as he feels.’ And the President agrees… that he can continue to do the fine job he has been doing,” Castro said in a briefing in Malacañang.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin has said Año’s resignation letter was submitted directly to the President instead of passing his office.
In the case of Communications Secretary Jay Ruiz, after the Commission on Appointments deferred the deliberation on his appointment, Castro said the President told the former to just continue his job.
Ruiz was appointed in February.
PERIODIC ASSESSMENT
The President, in an ambush interview in Malacañang, said assessment of the performance of the Cabinet members and other heads of government agencies will be done on a periodic basis, possibly every quarter
Malacañang is conducting a performance evaluation on other government officials and presidential appointees, including the presidential advisers and assistants and heads of government-owned and -controlled corporations.
“What you refer to as a Cabinet revamp is not a one shot – one time, big time thing. It is an ongoing thing … It is essentially putting all government agencies, departments on notice that we have to do better. And we will be looking very, very closely, and we will make that review on a periodic basis or maybe a quarterly basis,” the President said.
Marcos said he wants to ensure that targets set and promises made by the government are met and its impact felt by the people.
Bersamin is among the Cabinet men retained by the president, together with the economic team, Secretaries Crispin Remulla (justice), Jonvic Remulla (interior), Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (defense), Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. (agriculture), Conrado Estrella III (agrarian reform), Juan Edgardo Angara (education), Bienvenido Laguesma (labor), Rex Gatchalian (social welfare), Teodoro Herbosa (health), Hans Leo Cacdac (migrant workers), Renato Solidum Jr. (Science and technology), Christina Frasco (tourism), Henry Aguda (information and communications technology), Vince Dizon (transportation), and Manuel Bonoan (public works),.
Also retained were Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, Presidential Management Staff Secretary Elaine Masukat, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General Jose Francisco Benitez, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes, Mindanao Development Authority Chairman Leo Tereso Magno and Presidential Adviser for Mindanao Concerns Secretary Antonio Cerilles, Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr., Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, and National Treasurer Sharon Almanza.
The President also retained but transferred Raphael Lotilla but transferred him from the Department of Energy to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo was named as Ambassador to the United Nations.
The President on Monday administered the oath of office to Shirley Agrupis as chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education, and Francisco Lim as chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday.
Agrupis, who replaced Prospero de Vera III, has been serving as CHED commissioner since last year. She served as president of the Mariano Marcos State University in Ilocos Norte.
Lim served as president and chief executive officer of the Philippine Stock Exchange from 2004 to 2010. He is a senior partner at Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALAW), and has served as a trustee and President of the Shareholders Association of the Philippines.
Lim succeeded SEC Chairman Emilio Aquino, whose seven-year term ended on June 6.
