Alyansa poll flop sets off Marcos gov’t ‘reset’
In what promises to be a massive overhaul of the executive branch, President Marcos on Thursday asked for the courtesy resignations of his entire Cabinet, officials with Cabinet rank, presidential advisers and assistants, and other agency chiefs after half of his administration’s senatorial candidates were defeated in the midterm polls.
“It’s time to realign the government with the people’s expectations. This is not business as usual,” the President said, according to a Malacañang statement early Thursday morning. “The people have spoken, and they expect results – not politics, not excuses. We hear them, and we will act.”
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said the courtesy resignations – which came 10 days after the May 12 elections – will give the President “elbow room to evaluate the performance of each department and determine who will continue to serve in line with his administration’s recalibrated priorities.”
“This is not about personalities – it’s about performance, alignment, and urgency. Those who have delivered and continue to deliver will be recognized. But we cannot afford to be complacent. The time for comfort zones is over,” the President said.
Mr. Marcos did not set a deadline for the submission of resignation letters or when the new Cabinet would be known, even as Congress prepares for the new set of lawmakers to take their seats ahead of the President’s State of the Nation Address late in July.
‘Bold reset’
The PCO called the President’s move a “bold reset” that will usher in a new phase that would be “sharper, faster, and fully focused on the people’s most pressing needs.” It assured the public that no government services would be interrupted.
“This step marks a clear transition from the early phase of governance to a more focused and performance-driven approach. The President emphasized that while many have served with dedication and professionalism, the evolving needs of the country require a renewed alignment, faster execution, and a results-first mindset,” the Palace added.
As of Thursday afternoon, 39 Cabinet and other senior officials have signified their intent to step down or have submitted their courtesy resignations to the Palace. They include Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Finance Secretary Ralph Recto and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.
Besamin, Ruiz
In his letter to the President Bersamin, a former Chief Justice who started serving the Cabinet a few months after the administration took office in 2022, vowed to immediately turn over all documents and records in his office once Mr. Marcos accepts his courtesy resignation.
“It has been an honor to be a member of your Cabinet, Mr. President. I will continue to serve the Filipino people alongside you towards a Bagong Pilipinas,” he said.
Secretary Jay Ruiz, the ad interim PCO chief and one of the youngest members of the Marcos Cabinet promptly turned in his resignation to the Chief Executive.
“I humbly submit this resignation to give you a free hand in reorganizing your team as needed to pursue your people-centered vision for the country,” said the former ABS-CBN journalist.
In a press briefing shortly after the surprise announcement, Palace press officer Claire Castro, a PCO undersecretary, said Cabinet officials will remain at their posts pending further action from the President.
“This is the right time for them to prove that they are deserving to stay on. But if the President sees that they don’t deserve the position, they will be out,” Castro said. “There is no place for the lazy and the corrupt in the Marcos administration,” she added.
‘Frustrated’
She said the President was “frustrated” with the performance of some Cabinet secretaries and that he recognized that Filipinos were unsatisfied with the government, which influenced the less-than-optimal victory of the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate.
Out of the administration’s 12 original Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial bets, only six won: ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo, Sens. Lito Lapid, and Pia Cayetano, ex-Sens. Vicente Sotto III and Panfilo Lacson Jr., and Las Pinas City Rep. Camille Villar.
Villar and the President’s sister, reelectionist Sen. Imee Marcos, who quit Alyansa, were supported by the Duterte-led opposition. Political analysts say their victory was due to that support and count them as part of the pro-Duterte opposition.
“The President recognized that people were unsatisfied with the government’s performance, that’s why the Alyansa was unable to meet its target in the Senate,” Castro said.
“Maybe the President felt that after the elections, more needs to be done for the administration to work more efficiently for the people,” Castro said. “He will remove certain people in order to improve the performance of the government.”
Must be fiercer
Apart from a performance review, the President also wanted to find out if his Cabinet officials are linked to any irregularity or controversy that would warrant their ouster.
Castro said the President wanted faster results in pending infrastructure projects, education and other government services.
Earlier this week, Mr. Marcos admitted that he needed to be fiercer and sterner, especially in weeding out corruption and demanding efficiency from government officials.
In the first episode of his BBM Podcast, the President remarked: “I want to be respected, but maybe fear is better.”
This remark and his directive to all Cabinet officials to submit their courtesy resignations indicate that he taking decisive action to ensure that they will deliver the desired results.
“The President will crack the whip himself. Now that the President said there should be a cleaner, more efficient administration, he does not need someone else to put things in order. He will do it himself,” Castro said.
‘We are in flux’
Speaking in Malacañang on Thursday before presenting two newly-enacted laws, the President tried to make light of the small number dignitaries who attended the ceremony.
“Wait, are there still members of my cabinet left? Who am I addressing now?” he said as he opened his speech, drawing chuckles from those inside Kalayaan Hall in Malacañang.
“We are in flux,” he admitted, just hours after Malacañang announced an overhaul of the executive branch.
The President presented Republic Act (RA) 12145, which established the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) to replace the National Economic and Development Authority, and RA 12180 to modernize the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
At least four cabinet officials who have tendered their resignations attended the ceremony: Interior Secretary Jovic Remulla, Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr., Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, PCO’s Ruiz and Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol.
Not just on paper
Marcos said that with DEPDev, the government aimed to ensure that good plans do not remain on paper.
“With DEPDev, we want to make sure that bridges, schools, and roads are delivered – on time and within budget,” he said.
There would be “stricter” oversight, especially on delayed projects and Overseas Development Assistance (ODA)-funded programs, he said.
“We will no longer allow excessive cost overruns or unjustified time extensions. No to non-performing projects,” he said.
The Phivolcs Modernization Act increases the funding for the country’s disaster science agency and investments in state-of-the-art equipment and facilities.
Citing the Philippines’ location in the Pacific Ring of Fire, Mr. Marcos said the country cannot afford to rely on luck in dealing with natural disasters, adding that “preparedness is not optional.”
“Through this law, we aim to deliver timely, science-based warnings using new tools like machine learning and expanded monitoring networks,” he said. —WITH A REPORT FROM MELVIN GASCON
