Latest news with #LucasBersamin
Reuters
2 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Philippines keeps Cabinet mostly unchanged after 'bold reset' call
MANILA, June 3 (Reuters) - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has retained the majority of his Cabinet ministers, two weeks after requesting their resignations in what he called a "bold reset" of his administration, his executive secretary said on Tuesday. The call for "courtesy resignations" came in the wake of the disappointing performances by Marcos-backed candidates in the country's recent midterm elections. Speaking at a press briefing, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin confirmed that Marcos had decided to keep several key officials, including the secretaries of agriculture, education, labour, health, and social welfare. Marcos had earlier maintained his core economic team, along with the heads of the defense, justice, and interior departments. Bersamin also clarified that Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo will remain in his role until Congress confirms his appointment as the Philippines' permanent representative to the United Nations. Manalo was initially expected to step down by July 31. Performance reviews for other senior officials, including undersecretaries, are still ongoing, Bersamin added. "If you are asking for blood, there will still be blood," he said, suggesting further changes could follow.
The Star
25-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Marcos taps three Cabinet members as caretakers as he attends Asean meet
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has named (from left) Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, and Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III as the country's caretakers while he attends the Asean summit in Malaysia from May 26 to 27. - File photos from Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau via PDI/ANN MANILA: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has assigned Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III as caretakers of the country during his trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for the 2025 Asean summit. Marcos is set to meet the leaders present at the Asean summit from May 26 to 27. He departed for Malaysia at 1 p.m. on Sunday (May 25). In a message to reporters, Bersamin said the country's caretakers will be 'the same, ES (executive secretary, SOJ (secretary of justice), and SAR (secretary of agrarian reform),' while the chief executive is out of the country. Earlier, Foreign Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Dominic Xavier Imperial revealed that Marcos will also participate in the 16th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area Summit, the 2nd Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit, and the Asean-GCC-China Summit. He added that the President will likewise join in nine leaders-level engagements, the plenary session and the retreat session of the 46th Asean Summit, three leaders' interface meetings with the parliamentarians with the Asean Business Advisory Council, and attend the signing ceremony of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Asean 2045. 'Now in all these engagements, the President will continue to uphold and promote Philippine interests in Asean, such as deepening security and stability in the region, economic cooperation, and broadening engagement with dialogue partners,' Imperial said. 'The summit is a mechanism for leaders to provide policy direction for Asean, build consensus on matters of mutual interest, and exchange views on key regional and international issues,' he added. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
Reuters
23-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Philippines' Marcos keeps economic team, replaces foreign minister in cabinet revamp
MANILA, May 23 (Reuters) - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr will retain his trade, finance, budget and economic planning ministers but will replace the foreign minister in an overhaul of his cabinet, his executive secretary said on Friday. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin announced the changes after Marcos had asked all his cabinet secretaries to resign following the government's disappointing performance in midterm elections last week. "The president decided to retain these five members of the economic team so that there will be no more problems of perception about where the country is going," Bersamin told a briefing. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo will be replaced by his undersecretary, Theresa Lazaro, who will take the helm from July 31. Manalo was named as the country's permanent representative to the United Nations. The environment secretary will be replaced by the energy secretary, Bersamin said, adding the performance review was ongoing and decisions would be announced as they are made. "More action will be coming," he said. The cabinet shake-up is widely seen as Marcos' attempt to reset the political agenda and assert his authority over the second half of his single six-year term after a bruising midterm election and in the wake of falling approval ratings.
GMA Network
23-05-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Makati Business Club, PCCI laud retention of economic team
Two of the country's most influential business groups, Makati Business Club (MBC) and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), have welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s decision to retain the composition of his administration's economic team. At a press conference, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin announced that the President, 'after careful evaluation,' decided to retain Trade Secretary Cristina Roque, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Economy Planning and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, and Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go. The announcement came a day after Marcos' call for his Cabinet secretaries to submit their courtesy resignations as the results of Eleksyon 2025 showed that the people are "tired of politics and they are disappointed with the government.' Members of the President's economic team have immediately complied with his call. 'The Makati Business Club is relieved and satisfied that the Cabinet Secretaries in the Economic Cluster have been retained. This strengthens the continuity and stability of economic policies and initiatives,' MBC executive director Rafael 'Apa' Ongpin said in a statement. 'The private sector has had productive and encouraging engagements with the departments in the Economic Cluster that have demonstrated the open and collaborative character of this administration. We are glad that these relationships will continue,' Ongpin said. The MBC earlier backed the retention of the economic team, describing them as 'the best people for the job' and 'are well qualified for the position.' PCCI, for its part, said, 'We welcome the retention of the members of the economic team of President Bongbong Marcos.' 'They have been instrumental in the continued growth of the economy despite global economic whirlwinds. Their retention signals commitment to the continuity of reforms and stability in governance, and boosts confidence in the administration,' the business group said. PCCI also backed the Cabinet overhaul as it called for 'accountable and merit-based appointments' as well as the retention of 'those who delivered and performed.' Meanwhile, PCCI expressed support for Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, who will be transferred to head the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). 'With respect to Secretary Popo Lotilla, he has proven his competence and integrity as head of the Department of Energy (DOE). His stint at the DOE was characterized by his commitment to accelerate the transition to clean energy while still ensuring security and affordability of electric power - the two critical components to industrial growth and economic development,' the group said. 'We are optimistic he will bring the same balanced perspective and pragmatic approach that considers both environmental and industrial perspectives, at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),' it added. Bersamin said that the DOE will be temporarily headed by Undersecretary Sharon Garin as officer-in-charge. —LDF, GMA Integrated News
Arab News
23-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Philippines' Marcos keeps economic team, replaces foreign minister in cabinet revamp
MANILA: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will retain his trade, finance, budget and economic planning ministers but will replace the foreign minister in an overhaul of his cabinet, his executive secretary said on Friday. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin announced the changes after Marcos had asked all his cabinet secretaries to resign following the government's disappointing performance in midterm elections last week. 'The president decided to retain these five members of the economic team so that there will be no more problems of perception about where the country is going,' Bersamin told a briefing. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo will be replaced by his undersecretary, Theresa Lazaro, who will take the helm from July 31. Manalo was named as the country's permanent representative to the United Nations. The environment secretary will be replaced by the energy secretary, Bersamin said, adding the performance review was ongoing and decisions would be announced as they are made. 'More action will be coming,' he said. The cabinet shake-up is widely seen as Marcos' attempt to reset the political agenda and assert his authority over the second half of his single six-year term after a bruising midterm election and in the wake of falling approval ratings.
