Marcos retains 21 more agency heads
President Marcos has retained the appointment of 21 officials, including Cabinet secretaries and agency heads, Malacañang said on Tuesday, following his call for their courtesy resignations two weeks ago.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said in a press briefing the President personally evaluated each official’s performance. “These secretaries have been the victims of intrigues and harassment from many quarters. It’s just simple justice to them,” he said.
The following retained officials are Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.; Education Secretary Sonny Angara, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III, Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr., Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Romando Artes, National Treasurer Sharon Almanza, Mindanao Development Authority chief Leo Magno and Presidential Adviser on Mindanao Concerns Antonio Cerilles.
Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo was also retained until confirmed for his next role as Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Not ‘up to par’
Mr. Marcos, however, has accepted the resignations of Chair Meynardo Sabili of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Terence Calatrava, Presidential Assistant on Muslim Affairs Almarim Tillah, and Presidential Adviser for Special Concerns Menandro Espinelli.
“The assessments about them [are] that they did not perform up to par,” Bersamin said, without elaborating.
The President had retained his executive secretary as well as members of his economic team—Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Trade Secretary Maria Cristina Roque, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go. Also retained was Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
Replaced
Bersamin also announced earlier the resignation of Environment Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga, adding that she might later be assigned to another post.
Also replaced were Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra and Commission on Higher Education Chair Prospero de Vera III.
Some of the retained officials expressed their gratitude to Mr. Marcos in their respective statements on Tuesday.
The President is preparing to make his first Supreme Court appointment, following the submission of nominees by the Judicial and Bar Council, according to Bersamin. —WITH REPORTS FROM JEROME ANING AND JORDEENE B. LAGARE
