Romualdez backs cabinet revamp

Speaker Martin Romualdez on Thursday said the House leadership stands by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on his directive for a Cabinet revamp, noting they are "ready to work" with the new set of top executives in fulfilling the administration's primary objectives: reducing the prices of basic goods and generating more job opportunities.

The commitment followed Marcos' marching orders to all members of his Cabinet on Thursday to submit their courtesy resignations as part of his effort to "recalibrate" the administration and weed out underperforming and corrupt officials. The entire Cabinet immediately complied with his directive and tendered their resignations on the same day.

"As Speaker and leader of the 306-strong House of Representatives, I commend the President's courage in demanding accountability and realigning governance," Romualdez said. "Unity and compassion are what we need now. I stand with the President. The nation comes first."

In addition, Romualdez pledged to strengthen the House's oversight functions and will continue to craft legislation that "align[s] with the administration's goals and to hold the executive accountable when necessary."

Senator-elect Erwin Tulfo said Marcos' decision was high time, lamenting that most of his Cabinet had been proven "incompetent" and "non-performing" for the last three years.

He specifically mentioned the Department of Agriculture for failing to bring down the costs of basic foods, the Department of Public Works and Highways for ineffective flood control projects despite being allocated billions of funds, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for its shortcomings in addressing deforestation, black sand mining, and quarrying.

"It's now or never…Mr. President is right. Fire those useless, replace them with new ones. They have been non-performing for three years. They haven't done anything," Tulfo asserted.

For his part, House Minority Leader Marcelino "Nonoy" Libanan called the major overhaul a decisive action that highlights Marcos' commitment to "uphold the highest standards of public service." He vowed that the minority bloc would work closely with the new Cabinet in pursuit of stability, prosperity, and progress for the country.

"Change, when led by a clear vision and strong leadership, can infuse new energy and sharpen focus in tackling the pressing challenges of our time," he averred. "The reorganization presents an opportunity to reinforce institutional coherence, improve policy implementation, and deepen public engagement."

Meanwhile, Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers underscored the need for Marcos to adopt a "reinvigorated system of governance with certain innovations" that will resonate with the public, a move he claimed did not materialize owing to the "lackluster performance" of some of his Cabinet members.

"The President is on the right track. And he must act promptly and decisively in order to preserve the gains of his administration," said Barbers, lead chairperson of the House quad committee.

Incoming House member Renee Co of Kabataan Partylist, on the contrary, stressed that if the Cabinet reset is a "legitimate effort" to promote effective policies, then the modifications should also reflect the government's leadership and its existing programs.