Senators laud Marcos’ ‘bold move’ to revamp Cabinet

Several senators on Thursday backed the decision of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to order the courtesy resignations of Cabinet secretaries in a bid to “recalibrate” his administration after the 2025 national and local elections.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said that it was a “great move” by Marcos, which will allow him to “regroup his team while sparing those to be affected from intrigues.”

Now that Cabinet secretaries have started to express their intent to submit their courtesy resignations, Pimentel advised the President to appoint only those who have no plans to run in the next elections.

“I urge the President to recruit those who still have idealism in them and those who will focus on the ‘success’ of his administration by being more efficient and effective in helping the Filipino people and not focused on their own political ambitions,” the senate minority leader said in a statement.

“Best to recruit those with no ambitions to be elected in the 2028 elections. These non-political personalities will be more ‘objective and scientific’ in their work,” he added.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, meanwhile, said that he does not see anything wrong with Marcos’ decision, especially if it is “in pursuit of assembling a leadership team that can deliver efficient, accountable, and responsive governance.”

“As the Chief Executive and appointing authority, he is simply exercising his discretion as provided under the Constitution. Wala akong nakikitang dahilan para mabahala ang publiko sa direktiba ng Pangulo [I see no reason for the public to be concerned about the President's directive]. It’s a step in the right direction, as it appears to be part of a genuine reform effort to restore the people’s trust in our institutions,” Estrada said.

Senator-elect Vicente "Tito" Sotto III also described Marcos’ order as a “venturesomely bold action.”

For his part, Senator-elect Panfilo ''Ping'' Lacson said that aside from calling for the courtesy resignations of his cabinet members, the President should also exercise his “persuasive” powers over Congress, particularly in the House of Representatives, ahead of the 2026 national budget deliberations.

“The 2025 GAA is like a deadly virus that is choking the country to perdition. With the President taking the lead in at least tempering the insatiable greed of some legislators, I vow to do my share in helping him come up with a national budget that is truly responsive to the people’s clamor for sanity and a little timidity among the members of Congress in addressing the needs of their constituents,” Lacson said.

According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), the request for courtesy resignations will give the President the elbow room “to evaluate the performance of each department and determine who will continue to serve in line with his administration’s recalibrated priorities.”

Amid this development, the PCO said government services would remain uninterrupted as stability, continuity, and meritocracy will guide the formation of his leadership team moving forward.

Marcos' pronouncement came days after he said on Monday that the results of Eleksyon 2025 showed that the people are "tired of politics and they are disappointed with the government."

“This is not business as usual,” the President said. “The people have spoken, and they expect results—not politics, not excuses. We hear them, and we will act,” he added. —VAL, GMA Integrated News