After retaining most agency chiefs, Marcos to review undersecretaries

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

June 10, 2025 | 12:55pm

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his administration's performance review has expanded to undersecretaries across all government agencies after most Cabinet members passed his initial evaluation.

Hinting that more personnel changes were coming, Marcos said he prefers not to call the review process a "Cabinet revamp" as he is still "in the process of examining" department and agency officials.

"It's not a one-shot, one-time, big-time thing. It is an ongoing thing," Marcos said. "This is something, it is essentially putting all government agencies, departments on notice that we have to do better."

Marcos on May 22 called for all Cabinet secretaries to submit their courtesy resignations as part of a "bold reset" of his administration after the midterm elections. 

Most department heads — including members of his economic team — retained their positions.

"What we really did was we are still in the process of examining. Now, nasa baba na tayo (Now, we have gone down a level)," Marcos said at an ambush interview. 

"What happened really here was that I put everyone on notice that you are all on, basically all on probation," the president added.

On probation. The president said the review showed that some Cabinet members have been performing well so far, allowing them to keep their posts. But the evaluation process would continue with undersecretaries and agency officials.  

"This time, it looks like yung iba maganda naman ang performance  Now, nasa Usec na tayo, nasa agencies na tayo (It looks like they have a good performance. Now we are at the Usec, agencies)," Marcos added.

Marcos said he is eyeing possible quarterly performance reviews across all government departments, with officials evaluated on whether they meet specific targets.

He added that his administration would be "much, much more rigorous in looking at the performance, not only at the top level, but all the way."

"I'm sure you will see more changes in the future," the president said.

Recap: Whose resignation was accepted?

While most Cabinet secretaries got to retain their posts, the president also accepted the resignation of a few.

Marcos accepted the resignations of former Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra and Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Popoy de Vera. 

They will be replaced by University of the Philippines law dean Darlene Marie Berberabe, who was named the new solicitor general, while Commissioner Shirley Agrupis was appointed CHED chairperson.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo's resignation was accepted and was named the Philippines' permanent representative to the United Nations — a position he previously held from 2020 to 2022.

Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga was replaced by Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, while Housing Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar was moved to become Presidential Adviser for Pasig River Development. 

Acuzar will be replaced by former Department of Housing Settlements and Urban Development Undersecretary Jose Ramon Aliling.

Others whose resignations were accepted included Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor Chairman Meynardo Sabili, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Terence Calatrava, and Presidential Assistant on Muslim Affairs Almarim Tillah.