Do more, Marcos told as Cabinet heeds resign call

All Cabinet secretaries tendered their resignations on Thursday, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive aimed at “recalibrating” his administration.

Citing the results of the midterm elections, the President explained that the mass resignation call was intended to “realign the government with the people’s expectations.”

Despite handing in their resignations, Malacañang stated that Cabinet members would continue with their regular duties.

“Pending and existing projects will not be affected during this transition. The work of the Cabinet secretaries and government officials will continue,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said.

Castro added that this would give Cabinet members the opportunity to demonstrate that their goals align with the President’s.

Leading government agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Justice, led by siblings Secretaries Juanito Victor Remulla and Jesus Crispin Remulla, respectively, complied with the President’s directive.

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon also stepped down, stating that government leaders should be “aligned with the people’s expectations and ensure faster and more focused action to address their most pressing needs.”

Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara III, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda, and Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac likewise relinquished their positions.

Newly installed Overseas Worjers Welfare Administration chief Patricia Yvonne Caunan also conveyed her resignation to the President through the Department of Migrant Workers.

OP execs not exempted

Key officials in the Office of the President (OP) also resigned. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin expressed gratitude to Marcos for allowing him to serve in the Cabinet since 2022.

Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Carlito Galvez, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Jay Ruiz, and Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Secretary Mark Llandro Mendoza also vacated their respective posts.

Presidential Adviser for Investments and Economic Affairs Frederick Go and Poverty Alleviation Secretary Larry Gadon followed suit.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and National Security Advisor Eduardo Año also stepped down.

Anti-Red Tape Authority head Ernesto Perez and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes likewise complied with the President’s directive.

The economic team, composed of Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Trade Secretary Cristina Aldeguer-Roque and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, also resigned.

Heads of the Energy, Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources, Public Works and Highways, Agriculture, and Human Settlements and Urban Development departments also heeded the President’s order.

At press time, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr., and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority chief Kiko Benitez had yet to submit their resignation letters but had expressed their willingness to do so.

According to Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, the President should go beyond simply revamping his Cabinet, adding that he must also clean up his “entire political house” and distance himself from “reckless allies.”

“I view this revamp as a mid-game substitution—a reshuffling of key players based on their performance. But via their ballots, our countrymen told us that they want more than just a personnel adjustment,” Escudero said in a statement.

“The President’s course correction must include his entire political house, starting with his own backyard. He must distance himself from reckless allies who squandered his goodwill and burned through his political capital for selfish ends,” he added.

Escudero commended the President for acknowledging the problems within his administration and taking “immediate action” to recalibrate the government’s direction by holding top officials accountable.

“Earlier this week, I expressed support for the President’s call to set aside politics and focus on the needs of our people. I am thankful that he has acknowledged that there is a problem, displayed sensitivity to the sentiments of our countrymen, and humbly taken responsibility,” he said.

“Calling for the courtesy resignations of his official family is a good start,” he added.

For his part, Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito said the President’s order for his Cabinet to resign should serve as a wake-up call for government personnel to perform their duties accordingly.

“Maybe the President is basing it on the results of the elections. As he said, we probably forgot some programs. So maybe by asking for their courtesy resignations, he’s telling them to perform—not just sit around doing nothing all the time,” Ejercito said in a separate statement.

Senator Win Gatchalian emphasized that government officials must be reminded that the public is whom they truly serve.

“All Cabinet appointees, whether newly appointed or long-serving, must prove they can lead with urgency and competence. As it is, red tape is killing the country, slowing down progress and fueling public frustration,” he said.

“It’s time everyone served honestly, quickly, and effectively so as not to be a hindrance to the country’s progress,” he said in Filipino.

Speaker Martin Romualdez expressed support for President Marcos’s decision to revamp the Cabinet.

In a statement, Romualdez described the move as a “strong and necessary step—proof that he listens, acknowledges, and acts with resolve.”

“As Speaker and leader of the 306-strong House of Representatives, I commend the President’s courage in demanding accountability and realigning governance,” he said.

“We are ready to work with the new Cabinet to create jobs, lower food prices, and ensure better public service,” he added.