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Helen Flores - The Philippine Star
December 11, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Following recent Cabinet changes, Malacañang debunked yesterday reports that two more officials of the Marcos administration are next in line for removal.
Earlier, an online news site alleged that Education Secretary Sonny Angara and Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda may soon be removed from their posts as part of an effort to project decisive leadership.
The report, citing unnamed sources, said potential replacements for the two officials were already being considered.
Refuting the claims, Palace press officer Claire Castro said both Angara and Aguda attended Tuesday’s meeting of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council at Malacañang.
“Right now, the President sees that his Cabinet secretaries are working. We have seen one calamity after another, one typhoon after another, but they are still there and helping our countrymen. So our President is satisfied with all his Cabinet secretaries and as long as they remain in their posts, our President still has confidence in them,” Castro said in Filipino.
Asked if more Cabinet changes are forthcoming, Castro replied: “Wala pa po.”
Angara had previously been accused of inserting questionable projects into the national budget during his time as senator, while Aguda’s department has faced scrutiny over allegedly anomalous procurements. Both officials have denied the accusations.
The latest rumors surfaced after a series of high-profile changes in the President’s official family.
Former finance secretary Ralph Recto recently replaced former chief justice Lucas Bersamin as executive secretary, though Bersamin insisted he did not resign.
Frederick Go, special assistant to the President for investment and economic affairs, took over Recto’s post as finance chief.
Budget Undersecretary Rolando Toledo has been designated officer-in-charge of the Department of Budget and Management following the resignation of secretary Amenah Pangandaman.
Bersamin’s grandnephew and Pangandaman were among those implicated by resigned Ako Bicol representative Zaldy Co in the alleged P100-billion insertions in the 2025 budget.
Addressing the controversy, President Marcos maintained that his relationship with Bersamin remains intact.
“There’s no bad blood. There is no acrimonious feeling. So, that’s fine,” Marcos said.
“Secretary Mina’s name was dragged into the issue. So to make things clear – whatever questions or developments arise –
we want to ensure she’s not placed in a position where she could be suspected of influencing any of it,” he added.
EDCOM II extended
In a separate development, the House of Representatives has approved on second reading House Bill 6429, which seeks to extend the life of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) until the end of 2027, Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre announced yesterday.
House Bill 6429 amends Republic Act 11899, which created EDCOM II and mandated it to conduct a sweeping assessment of the country’s basic, higher and technical-vocational education systems.
As sponsor of Committee Report 27, Acidre said the extension ensures that education reforms already identified are not only crafted but fully implemented.
He noted that in the past two years, EDCOM II has taken on the difficult task of studying long-standing gaps in the education sector – citing overworked teachers, students struggling with basic competencies and parents demanding better learning outcomes.
Acidre also pointed to outdated systems, fragmented policies and persistent resource shortages as barriers that continue to slow down progress.
“This extension is not to prolong the work, but to protect the work,” he said, emphasizing that reforms require continuity, proper structures and sustained funding.
Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo, EDCOM II co-chair, said the commission has delivered “with depth, rigor and urgency” through research, field assessments and nationwide consultations involving learners, teachers, parents, government agencies and stakeholders.
The House action comes after the Senate recently passed its counterpart measure on third reading.
By extending EDCOM II’s mandate through 2027, lawmakers aim to ensure that reforms remain evidence-based, consensus-driven and supported by the investments needed to improve outcomes for Filipino learners and educators.
In line with the broader drive to improve learning outcomes, the Department of Education underscored the need for stronger private sector collaboration to ensure that reforms translate into real-world gains for Filipino learners.
Angara on Tuesday urged the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham) to help close the gap between what students learn in school and the skills demanded by employers, saying the Marcos administration is committed to building a future-ready, competitive workforce through industry-aligned education pathways. - Jose Rodel Clapano and Evelyn Macairan
