A DIRECTIVE of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for Cabinet men and other senior government officials to submit their courtesy resignations was welcomed by some lawmakers while others questioned the move.
Senate President Francis Escudero said the President’s order is a “good start” as it highlights the need for the entire bureaucracy to recalibrate and align with government expectations of the Filipino people.
“I view this revamp as a mid-game substitution — a reshuffling of key players based on their performance. But via the ballots, our countrymen told us they want more than just a personal adjustment. The President’s course correction must include his entire political house, starting with his own backyard. He must distance himself from reckless allies who squandered goodwill and burned through his political capital for selfish ends,” Escudero said in a statement.
Incoming Rep. Antonio Tinio (PL, ACT) said the looming Cabinet reshuffle is an acknowledgment of the administration slate’s poor showing in the May midterm elections “by a President eager to stave off (his) lame duck status.”
Tinio warned that any reshuffle “will be doomed as a mere exercise in image management for as long as President Marcos fails to address the roots of poverty and inequality: the lack of comprehensive agrarian reform and national industrialization policy, continued underfunding of social services, and rampant corruption and political patronage.”
Incoming Rep. Leila de Lima (PL, ML) said the President’s order “reflects an awareness that the public expects more — more coherence, more competence, and more decisive leadership from this government.”
“A Cabinet revamp, if done right, can serve as a necessary reset in the remaining half of his term,” she said. “But he has to show first, his sincerity, and second, his decisiveness and firmness in his governance. Otherwise, the perception that he’s lame duck President will continue,” she said in mixed Filipino and English.
Senator-elect Panfilo Lacson said that more than just recalibrating the administration, Marcos must exercise his persuasive powers over Congress, especially on the House of Representatives, to rid it of “indiscriminate and self-aggrandizing” insertions and pork barrel funds in the coming budget deliberations.
Ederson Tapia, public administration professor at the University of Makati, said, “He’s talking to the people, trying to salvage whatever political capital he has left. I think it’s the best he can do at this time.”
“He should project strength lest he becomes a non-factor toward 2028 and even now,” Tapia said.
House minority Leader Marcelino Libanan backed the President’s move, saying a “reorganization presents an opportunity to reinforce institutional coherence, improve policy implementation, and deepen public engagement.”
“We welcome President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s decision to reorganize the Cabinet — a move that underscores his ongoing commitment to responsive and effective governance,” he said.
Libanan said the “decisive action reflects the President’s resolve to uphold the highest standards of public service by placing the right individuals in key positions to address the ever-evolving needs of the Filipino people.”
“Change, when led by a clear vision and strong leadership, can infuse new energy and sharpen focus in tackling the pressing challenges of our time,” said the lawmaker, leaders of the 11-man prosecution panel in the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
INTEGRITY
Outgoing Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said the President should appoint to the Cabinet “people who have unquestionable integrity and loyalty to him and his administration.”
He said the new Cabinet members should be persons who “can deliver their respective mandates to the people that we serve and will not think twice in condemning Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea and defend him (Marcos Jr.) on other national issues thrown against him and his administration.”
Barbers said it is because of the lackluster performance of some of the Cabinet members that the President’s vision and accomplishments on the issues of health, food security and peace and order seemingly do not trickle down “and are not being felt by the masses.”
“It is now timely that he come up with new marching orders to implement a reinvigorated system of governance with certain innovations that will be appreciated by the masses. The President is on the right track. And he must act promptly and decisively in order to preserve the gains of his administration,” he said.
Incoming Rep. Renee Co (PL, Kabataan), a 27-year-old lawyer, asked if the reshuffle is a “performance check or a loyalty check?”
“Frankly, Marcos Jr. is trying hard to look that he’s in charge, but we’re not convinced. This is part of their political war preparations for 2028 against the Dutertes,” she said in mixed Filipino and English.
“If this is a legitimate effort, not only people should change but the leadership and programs of the government, which is the ball that the President handles, himself,” she added.
FINETUNING
Escudero said the government revamp is the just the start of fine tuning the administration as there is “much more still needs to be done.”
He said the President needs men who he can really help him efficiently run the government.
“For when government fails to mee these expectations, it is the public who suffers, and I commend the President for taking immediate action,” he added.
Senate president pro tempore Jinggoy Estrada said the order is “a step in the right direction, as it appears to be part of a genuine reform effort to restore the people’s trust in our institutions.”
Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III the President made a “great move” as this will allow him to regroup his team “while sparing those to be affected from intrigues.”
“I urge the President to recruit those who still have idealism in them and those who will focus on the ‘success’ of his administration by being more efficient and effective in helping the Filipino people,” Pimentel said.
He said it best if the President will replace his Cabinet with people who have “no ambitions to be elected in the 2028 elections.”
“These non-political personalities will be more objective and scientific in their work,” he added.
An official of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said the heads of the departments are not solely to blame for the failures of the administration.
In a radio interview, CBCP Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs (ECPA) executive secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano said Marcos must also take responsibility for the perceived failure of his administration, and not just because of his Cabinet officials.
“It’s lame to look at Cabinet secretaries for his administration’s dismal performance. It’s about time that he takes full command and full responsibility for managing our nation’s affairs,” said Secillano.
“PBBM should be reminded that if the head truly works, everything else follows,” he added. – With Gerard Naval and Reuters
