President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. presides over a cabinet meeting in this file photo taken on Aug. 23, 2022. (Picture from his Facebook account)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Hours after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made the unprecedented decision to order all the members of his cabinet to turn in their courtesy resignations, 41 officials had either tendered their resignations or expressed intent to do so.
They include department secretaries, cabinet-level officials, heads of agencies and presidential advisers.
Below is the list of 33 officials who have already filed their courtesy resignations as of 4 p.m. on Thursday:
- Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin
- Education Secretary Sonny Angara
- Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo
- Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla
- Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
- Finance Secretary Ralph Recto
- Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga
- Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla
- Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque
- Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon
- Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian
- Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
- Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar
- Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla
- Health Secretary Ted Herbosa
- Presidential Communications Office Secretary Jay Ruiz
- Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac
- Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma
- Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco
- Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III
- Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda
- National Security Adviser Eduardo A帽o
- Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Chief Mark Mendoza
- Presidential Management Staff Secretary Elaine
- Commission on Filipinos Overseas Secretary Dante Ang
- OWWA Administrator PY Caunan
- Special Assistant to the President for Investment & Economic Affairs Frederick Go
- Presidential Adviser for Poverty Alleviation Larry Gadon
- ARTA Director General Ernesto Perez
- Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile
- CEZA Chief Katrina Ponce Enrile
- Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.
- Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr.
Meanwhile, the following six officials have expressed their intention to submit their courtesy resignations:
- Economy, Planning and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan
- Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman
- Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum
- Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra
- Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairperson Don Artes
- TESDA Director-General Secretary Kiko Benitez
READ: Marcos orders courtesy resignation of all Cabinet secretaries
What is the reason behind it?
The controversial move, announced by Marcos in a press release earlier in the day, came in the wake of the results of the national and local elections on May 12.
READ: Marcos鈥� call for resignations will weed out the lazy, the corrupt 鈥� Palace
鈥淚t鈥檚 time to realign government with the people鈥檚 expectations,鈥� the president said.
While he did not elaborate on what specifically triggered the decision, Marcos said: 鈥淭he people have spoken, and they expect results鈥攏ot politics, not excuses. We hear them, and we will act.鈥�
The order for the turning in of courtesy resignations is meant to give Marcos elbow room to review each department鈥檚 performance and decide who will stay and who will leave based on the president鈥檚 updated priorities.
Meanwhile, at a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said it was the public鈥檚 growing disappointment with the government鈥檚 performance that prompted the president鈥檚 directive.
What happens next?
Castro said government operations remain normal despite the wave of submission of courtesy resignations.
READ: Palace: Cabinet courtesy resignations won鈥檛 affect gov鈥檛 projects
鈥淭he cabinet secretaries and government personnel will continue working as usual,鈥� she said in Filipino.
鈥淚t would be better if our heads of agencies and cabinet secretaries also demonstrated that they are aligned with the president鈥檚 goals,鈥� she noted.
鈥淎s we鈥檝e said, there is no place for the lazy and the corrupt in the administration of President Marcos Jr.,鈥� she added.
A performance review will be conducted for all officials who submitted their resignations.
While the composition of the review team has not yet been announced, Castro said the results will be released as soon as possible.
Stability of government
Meanwhile, Castro also dismissed concerns that the government might become unstable due to the mass courtesy resignations.
She explained that the move is simply a way to weed out under-performing officials who may no longer be aligned with the administration鈥檚 current direction.
鈥淚t is better and the public should accept that these officials [will] be replaced by those who are deserving of the position,鈥� the Palace official added./apl / gsg