President can’t let go of Loyzaga, Frasco
President Marcos just can’t let go of some of his “trusted” people.
The President has a penchant for placing officials he had already removed from his Cabinet to other token government posts.
The President this week assigned new roles to former Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga and former Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco—the latest recycled Cabinet members.
Mr. Marcos swore in Yulo-Loyzaga as special envoy for disaster risk reduction and management, a new government position, during a ceremony in Malacañang on Wednesday.
The President expressed his appreciation to Yulo-Loyzaga for accepting her new role, citing her extensive expertise in disaster resilience management, Malacañang said in a news release.
The President tasked her with advancing the administration’s agenda on climate action, renewable energy integration, and disaster risk reduction.
He expressed confidence that she would “champion sound environmental governance and help build a more resilient Philippines.”
Malacañang did not say where, as an “envoy,” she would champion the Philippine cause on disaster reduction and management, and climate change.
Newly created position
On the same day, Frasco formally took over her new role as presidential adviser for sustainable and resilient communities, another newly created government post.
Mr. Marcos expressed confidence that under her leadership, her office would foster stronger collaborations with local government units.
He cited Frasco’s background in promoting sustainable local development, and implementing national programs at the local level.
Despite her removal as tourism secretary, Frasco “still has the trust given by the President,” according to Palace press officer Claire Castro. As presidential adviser, Castro keeps her rank as secretary.
Yulo-Loyzaga previously served as head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources from 2022 until 2025, when a “cleansing” of the executive branch required all high-ranking officials to submit their courtesy resignations.
Then Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said that Yulo-Loyzaga was shown the door for “underperforming.”
Frasco was a one-term mayor of Liloan, Cebu, before she was appointed as head of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in 2022.
Before she was sent out of the DOT last week, Frasco’s tenure was marked by controversies, including the “Love the Philippines” video that was discovered to have used nonoriginal stock footage from other countries.
She was also accused of self-promotion after being often featured in tourism-related publicity materials.
Frasco comes from a political dynasty in Cebu as the daughter of the province’s former Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, who backed Mr. Marcos’ presidential bid during the 2022 elections.
Other retained aides
Before Yulo-Loyzaga and Frasco were given new roles in the government, President Marcos had already retained several other former Cabinet members.
Seasoned technocrat Raphael Lotilla served the Marcos administration in two positions—as his first energy secretary from 2022 to 2025 and as Yulo-Loyzaga’s successor.
On Feb. 27, he was appointed Philippine ambassador to the Holy See. He was not asked to resign or sacked by the President, but had requested a “lighter assignment.”
In May 2025, Jose Rizalino “Jerry” Acuzar was removed as secretary of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, but maintained his Cabinet rank after he was designated presidential adviser for Pasig River development, also a new post.
Former journalist Jay Ruiz served as the fourth chief of the Presidential Communications Office.
He was then transferred as a member of the board of directors of Manila Economic and Cultural Office, the de facto Philippine Embassy in Taiwan. However, Ruiz was removed from that post in December last year after just five months at the post.
