BOLD RESET? Sweeping Cabinet revamp leads to just four firings

National

ONLY FOUR top officials have been removed as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed the retention of the vast majority of his Cabinet following a comprehensive performance review.

Malacañang had earlier described the ongoing shake-up as part of a “bold reset” of the administration.

Out of 25 evaluated officials, 21 were retained while four were let go.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said the review aimed to refocus the administration’s priorities and ensure that those in leadership roles were delivering results.

The officials who will continue in office have been directed to renew their commitment to their mandates.

“They know that the President demands the highest degree of performance, and those who have not been retained know also where they have failed or where they were short in delivery,” Bersamin said in a press briefing at Malacañang on Tuesday.

Retained officials include Secretaries Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. (Agriculture), Conrado Estrella III (Agrarian Reform), Sonny Angara (Education), Bienvenido Laguesma (Labor), Rexlon Gatchalian (Social Welfare), Teodoro Herbosa (Health), Hans Leo Cacdac (Migrant Workers), Renato Solidum Jr. (Science), Christina Frasco (Tourism), Henry Rhoel Aguda (Information and Communications Technology), Vivencio Dizon II (Transportation), and Manuel Bonoan (Public Works).

Also keeping their posts are Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, TESDA Director General Jose Francisco Benitez, Presidential Management Staff Secretary Elaine Masukat, MMDA Chairman Romando Artes, Mindanao Development Authority Chairman Leo Tereso Magno, Presidential Adviser for Mindanao Concerns Antonio Cerilles, BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr., Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, and National Treasurer Sharon Almanza.

Bersamin noted that some of these officials had faced unfounded criticism during the evaluation process, and the Palace wanted to publicly acknowledge their retention to put speculations to rest. He described the announcement as an act of fairness to officials who had been “the victims of intrigues and harassment from many quarters.”

The four officials removed from their posts include Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor Chairman Meynardo Sabili, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Terence Calatrava, Presidential Assistant on Muslim Affairs Almarim Tillah, and Presidential Adviser for Special Concerns Menardo Espineli.

Bersamin declined to detail the reasons for each departure but emphasized they had not met the expectations set by the President.

Despite the limited number of dismissals, the review process is ongoing and may result in further exits, including at lower levels of the executive branch. Bersamin confirmed that evaluations are being conducted across all ranks, not just the Cabinet.

“Well, if you are asking for blood, there will still be blood,” he said, adding that the process is both sweeping and thorough, involving input from a panel selected by the President.

Officials whose status remains under review include Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr., Presidential Communications Secretary Jay Ruiz, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Head Mark Llandro Mendoza, and presidential advisers Larry Gadon, Roman Felix, and Andres Centino.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo will remain in his role while awaiting confirmation as the Philippines’ permanent representative to the United Nations. Once confirmed, he is expected to be succeeded by Undersecretary Teresa Lazaro.

Leadership changes in earlier waves included the appointment of Raphael Lotilla as Environment Secretary and the reassignment of Jose Rizalino Acuzar as Presidential Adviser for Pasig River Development. Acuzar was replaced at the housing department by Jose Ramon Aliling.

In a second tranche of changes, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra and CHED Chairman J. Prospero de Vera III stepped down, while the resignations of Secretaries Jesus Crispin Remulla (Justice), Jonvic Remulla (Interior and Local Government), and Gilbert Teodoro (Defense) were rejected. Darlene Marie Berberabe, dean of the UP College of Law, has been appointed Solicitor General, and Commissioner Shirley Agrupis is now CHED Chairperson.

President Marcos also appointed corporate lawyer Francis Edralin Lim as the new chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, replacing Emilio Aquino, whose term ends June 5. Bersamin described Lim as “a distinguished member of the legal and financial communities” with deep expertise in corporate and securities law. Lim previously led the Philippine Stock Exchange and the Management Association of the Philippines.(MyTVCebu)