Marcos reshaping Abalos' Cabinet role after old office's abolition – Palace

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July 10, 2026 | 7:00am

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has brought Benhur Abalos Jr. into the Cabinet as Cabinet secretary, a post Malacañang said does not automatically restore the office Marcos abolished in 2022.

Abalos took his oath on Wednesday, July 8, after Malacañang announced his appointment.

Palace press officer Claire Castro said Thursday, July 9, that Abalos’ appointment was Marcos’ “way of redefining” the Cabinet secretary position under his authority to reorganize the executive branch.

“Instead of a CabSec focused on managing the President’s Cabinet meetings, ang utos ni Presidente kay CabSec Benhur ay siguraduhing nararamdaman at napapakinabangan ng bawat Pilipino ang mga serbisyo ng gobyerno,” Castro said at a press briefing.

Castro said Marcos directed Abalos to go around the country, represent him and call on Cabinet members to help address public concerns.

“All these tasks are embodied in CabSec Benhur’s terms of reference attached to his appointment,” she said.

Castro said Abalos’ post could be considered a new Cabinet position, with functions different from the abolished Office of the Cabinet Secretary.

“Ang function niya ay hindi pang-CabSec. Ang function niya is to help the president,” Castro said.

She said Abalos would help expand the administration’s reach by going to areas where Marcos may not be able to go himself.

Castro also said Marcos did not need to issue a new executive order to validate Abalos’ appointment, saying the president exercised his power to appoint.

Executive Order No. 1, signed by Marcos in 2022, abolished the Office of the Cabinet Secretary and placed the Cabinet Secretariat under the direct control and supervision of the Presidential Management Staff.