President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. retained 21 Cabinet officials following his call for all secretaries’ courtesy resignations on May 22.
In a June 3 press conference, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin announced that Marcos Jr. had declined the resignations of several officials, following his call for mass resignations aimed at “realigning the government” and recalibrating the administration’s direction for the remainder of his term.
Among those whose resignations were declined:
- Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
- Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Conrado Estrella III
- Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara
- Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma
- Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian
- Department of Health (DoH) Secretary Ted Herbosa.
Other officials who will stay on:
- Technical Education and Skills Development (TESDA) Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez
- Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac
- Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato Solidum
- Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco
- Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda
- Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon
- Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan
- Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile
- Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Romando Artes
- Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Leo Tereso Magno
- Presidential Management Staff Secretary Elaine Masukat
- Presidential Adviser for Mindanao Concerns Antonio Cerilles
- Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Roni Lumagui Jr.
- Bureau of Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio
- Treasurer of the Philippines Sharon Almanza
“All of them, who have been retained, including myself, are expected to give fresh attention to the mandates and to give more performance,” said Bersamin.
Following a performance evaluation, the president accepted the courtesy resignations of several officials, primarily from non-departmental positions, including Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor Chair Meynardo Sabili, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Terence Calatrava, and Presidential Adviser on Muslim Affairs Almarim Tillah.
“I assure you that this is a very sweeping and thorough evaluation being made by the President, in the bundle of his choice, regarding those who will be continuing — remaining in office, and those who will be ultimately ousted,” the executive secretary stated, adding that the presidential office is continuing performance evaluations on other government officials as well.
To recall, Marcos Jr.’s call for mass resignations came after the release of the 2025 midterm election results, where he said that the public was “tired of politics” and “disappointed with the government,” following his Senate slate’s failure to secure a majority of the seats.
