OPINION | Marcos’ new team

May 22, 2025 , 01:57 PM

By Manny Mogato

(May 22, 2025) – Pres. Bongbong Marcos Jr. has asked his Cabinet members to tender courtesy resignations so that he can immediately reorganize a new team for the second half of his six-year term.

The President’s action was not a surprise. He wanted to clean up the government and replace non-performing executives who would take the blame for the disastrous performance of the “Alyansa” coalition in the just-concluded midterm elections.

Only five of the 11 senatorial candidates the president had endorsed won – Erwin Tulfo, Panfilo Lacson, Vicente Sotto III, Pia Cayetano, and Manuel “Lito” Lapid. Six others lost.

On the other hand, former president Rodrigo Duterte’s political allies won five seats, joining five other sitting pro-Duterte senators.

The emergence of a pro-Duterte bloc in the Senate is bad news for the administration. The bloc could block the removal of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio in an impeachment trial about to start in a couple of days.

Moving forward, it could have a direct impact on the 2028 presidential elections, considering Marcos has no viable and visible successor.

Duterte’s potential return to power, through his daughter, would be problematic because she could get back on Marcos whom she blamed for her father’s detention in The Hague.

It could also derail Marcos’ legislative agenda and initiate inquiries into the administration’s perceived wrongdoings, fueling political instability that could impact economic growth.

Some have reacted negatively to Marcos’ call for courtesy resignation as too drastic.

Already, the markets had reacted adversely to the courtesy resignation, with the stock market’s soft opening as major indices were down.

The peso strengthened, though. It was probably reacting to the weakening of the US dollar.

Domestically, Marcos might be looking for scapegoats to blame for the “Alyansa’s” poor showing in the midterm elections despite his vigorous campaigning in the provinces.

Political observers believe the President would retain the majority of his Cabinet members, who were seen as outstanding performers, like Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, and the Remulla brothers, Jonvic and Boying.

The technocrats in the Marcos Cabinet would likely be retained, like those in DICT, DOST, Environment, Health, and Trade. Former senator Juan Edgardo Angara would be retained as education secretary.

There were reports that former ABS-CBN reporter Jay Ruiz, who was only appointed as Presidential Communications Office boss in February, Labor and Employment Secretary Benny Laguesma, and Solicitor-General Medardo Guevarra might be handed walking papers.

Ruiz and Laguesma were among the weakest links in the Cabinet while Guevarra was seen as not a team player who continued to work for Duterte.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and economic planning boss Arsenio Balisacan might be blamed on the troublesome 20 peso-per-kilo rice program, which Marcos’ does raised as an issue.

No one could second guess what’s on the mind of the president but political observers speculated those who pulled down the president’s numbers would be axed.

Voters rejected most “Alyansa” candidates because of high consumer prices, particularly rice, and high joblessness figure.

The arrest and handover to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague also contributed to the Alyansa’s defeat.

However, it was improbable for Marcos to let go brothers Boying and Jonvic who defended the government’s actions on Duterte.

In short, it would be waiting game on who would be retained and who would be removed.

But, it would be an opportunity for the President, or rather, the First Lady to replace people they dislike.

Outside of the executive branch, they could not do anything but work behind closed doors to effect changes in the legislature.

The reorganization would allow a fresh start for the president to carry out his legacy agenda and a complete break from the “unity” alliance that elected him and Sara Duterte in 2022.

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