‘Sweeping, thorough’ evaluation ongoing – Bersamin
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declined the courtesy resignation of many of his Cabinet secretaries, including Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. of agriculture, Vince Dizon (transportation), Juan Edgardo Angara (education), Teodoro Herbosa (health), and Manuel Bonoan (public works), and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile.
“The President might have probably, most likely, determined that most of these he retained have performed at par, because otherwise, he would surely have fired them,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said in a briefing in Malacañang yesterday.
The others who were retained, Bersamin said, were Conrado Estrella III (agrarian reform), Rex Gatchalian (social welfare), Hans Leo Cacdac (migrant workers), Renato Solidum Jr. (science and technology), Christina Frasco (tourism), Henry Aguda (information and communications technology); Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr., Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, National Treasurer Sharon Almanza, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Romando Artes, Presidential Management Staff Secretary Elaine Masukat, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General Jose Francisco Benitez, Mindanao Development Authority chairman Leo Tereso Magno, and Presidential Adviser for Mindanao Concerns Secretary Antonio Cerilles.
Bersamin also announced the appointment of Francis Lim as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) vice Emilio Aquino, whose term ends on June 5.
In separate statements, Angara, Laguesma and Herbosa all thanked the President for his continued trust and confidence.
They assured Marcos and the Filipinos of their continued and better service and fulfillment of their duties.
Tiu Laurel said: “We Cabinet secretaries serve at the pleasure of the President, and I am humbled by his decision and appreciate his confidence in me.”
Frasco vowed to work “even harder.”
Bersamin said the President, meanwhile, accepted the courtesy resignations of Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor chairperson Maynardo Sabili, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Terrence Calatrava, and Presidential Assistant on Muslim Affairs Almarim Tillah.
He said Marcos “terminated Mr. Menandro M. Espinelli, Presidential Advisor for Special Concerns.”
Marcos late last month directed his Cabinet secretaries and other key government officials to file courtesy resignations amid efforts to recalibrate his administration.
His order, seen as part of a bold reset in his government, came after his allies failed to win a majority of the Senate seats in the May 12 midterm elections, leaving him facing a divided political and legislative landscape that could thwart his attempts to have an ally succeed him in 2028.
EVALUATION ONGOING
Bersamin, asked for the reasons some resignations were accepted, said those “whom we have named today were probably those that the President, as of now, has determined that they have not delivered on their respective mandates.”
He declined to “delve into the details.”
He said the performance evaluation of other appointees who were not yet mentioned is ongoing.
“If you are asking for blood, there will still be blood. But you know, we are still undertaking continuing performance evaluations even of those undersecretaries or those lower than the Cabinet rank, functionaries,” he said.
“I assure you that this is a very sweeping and thorough evaluation that’s being made by the President and the panel of his choice regarding those who will be continuing remaining in office and those who will be ultimately ousted,” he added.
Bersamin clarified that the President had not accepted the courtesy resignation of Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo who, he said, will remain in his post until his confirmation as the Philippines’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations by the Commission on Appointments.
Manalo’s designation was supposed to take effect on August 1.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro has been designated to replace Manalo.
The President has previously declined the courtesy resignations of Bersamin, Trade Secretary Maria Cristina Roque, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Economic Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and Special Assistant to the President for Investments and Economic Affairs Frederick Go.
Marcos also declined the resignations of Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.
He transferred Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources from the Department of Energy, vice Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga whose courtesy resignation was accepted.
The President also accepted the resignation of Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar but named him as Presidential Adviser for Pasig River Development, with the rank of secretary, while engineer Ramon Aliling was named as his replacement.
Marcos also accepted the resignations of Menardo Guevarra as solicitor general and Prospero de Vera III as Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairperson.
The President named lawyer and University of the Philippines College of Law Dean Darlene Marie Berberabe to Guevarra’s post and CHED Commissioner Shirley Agrupis as chairperson.
