WHEN THE MIDTERM results showed the current administration’s dismal performance, by not voting its senatorial candidates, President Marcos Jr.’s immediate response was to demand a courtesy resignation of his entire Cabinet. This was massively lauded in social and mainstream media.
A week or two later, the big letdown happened: He just replaced three and rehired or reassigned the others, retaining even those that have hyped on their so-called accomplishments (which to people were just nothing but boosting their self-image) to the utter disappointment of those that voiced their disdain for these officials.
One Cabinet member, whose task it was to create an environment that would foster the labor market and assure the laborers of their livelihood, is said to have hired and charged at the department’s expense the cost of maintaining his household staff (family drivers, maids, cook, gardener and others) in addition to providing positions to relatives and close friends. Upon his resignation, several employees (except his personal hires) heaved a sigh of relief, to no avail as he was retained.
The Department of Agriculture — whose task it is to protect and assure the livelihood of local farmers and fisherfolk — was busy planning out for the next importation of practically every food item that can be produced in the country. Alas, he too was rehired and retained. Why? People are asking in exasperation.
The Department of Agrarian Reform secretary, who unfortunately took over the helm long after the failed land reform program was adopted, has busied himself churning press releases on loans he had condoned (which taxpayers continue to shoulder for the national treasury to recover from this failure to collect) and the kinds of livelihood programs he has introduced in the countryside, which though laudable was expected of every functioning Cabinet member in the first place.
‘The dramatic move — a response to his allies’ humiliating defeat in the midterms — was hyped as the boldest decision of his presidency … the Marcos reset showed that bold words don’t always lead to bold moves…’
BOOTED OUT
The only ones booted out were:
1) Antonia Yulo Loyzaga from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, who during her term was busy jetsetting the world and barely made herself visible locally. She was replaced by Raphael Lotilla of the Department of Energy –a known advocate of renewable and clean energy. For the meantime, Lotilla’s post will be handled by former Rep. Sharon Garin, a USec of DoE. It is said the Palace is lining Yulo-Loyzaga for another post.
2) Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra was booted out, as expected, because of his perceived loyalty to his former appointee — detained former President Rodrigo Duterte. He was replaced by UP College of Law Dean Darlene Berberabe.
3) Prospero de Vera was sacked as Chair of the Commission on Higher Education and replaced by Shirley Agrupis. As Rappler said “De Vera became controversial and explicit support for then-presidential and vice presidential candidates Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte during campaign season, despite being an active public servant then. De Vera consistently allowed, and in many cases, even forwarded policies that made education less accessible in multiple ways, for all different kinds of people”
4) Jerry Acuzar (a home developer) of the newly-created Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development was moved to a less high-profile role as Presidential Adviser for Pasig River Development. He was replaced at the DHSUD by another contractor, Undersecretary Jose Ramon P. Aliling
5) Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo was replaced by Undersecretary Tess Lazaro, and reassigned as the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
BOLD RESET
Headlined Bilyonaryo.net: What a dud! Nice-guy Marcos’ “bold reset” fizzles out with only 3 Secretaries fired — the rest reshuffled or retained. It called President Marcos much-hyped Cabinet reset as more bark than bite.
As for Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, among the first to tender the courtesy resignation, along with the vaunted economic team, were all retained despite their faux pas and fiascos.
As for the rest of the so-called purge, they were mostly lower-profile appointees whose exits made little noise.
Marcos accepted the resignations of: Meynardo Sabili, secretary of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor; Terrence Calatrava, Presidential Adviser for the Visayas; Almarim Tillah, Presidential Adviser on Muslim Affairs, and Menandro Espineli, Presidential Adviser for Special Concerns.
DRAMATIC MOVE
What a letdown!
This isn’t what the public expected when, just weeks ago on May 21, President Marcos stunned the nation by calling for the courtesy resignations of his entire Cabinet, senior government executives, and heads of state corporations.
The dramatic move — a response to his allies’ humiliating defeat in the midterms — was hyped as the boldest decision of his presidency.
From big bang to dud, the Marcos reset showed that bold words don’t always lead to bold moves, Bilyonaryo concluded.