Customs chief steps down amid Marcos call for courtesy resignations

Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio on Friday announced his resignation, following suit with the courtesy resignations of Cabinet-level and secretary-ranked officials in the midst of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s post-midterm polls Cabinet overhaul.

Bureau of Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio also tendered his courtesy resignation. pic.twitter.com/GckBGOhi4c

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“Ito po ay pagtugon sa panawagan ng Pangulo ng Pilipinas na muling iayon ang ating pamahalaan sa kung ano ang nararapat para sa taumbayan,” Rubio said in a statement.

(This is in response to the call of the President of the Philippines to realign the government with the needs of the people.)

“To this end, I have submitted my resignation as the Commissioner of Customs to give the President a free hand in assessing the performance of the heads of agencies and better improve the service to the Filipino people,” the Customs chief said.

Rubio’s announcement came on the heels of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin’s announcement of the latest changes in the Marcos Cabinet.

Notably, his boss Finance Secretary Ralph Recto along with other members of the economic team —Trade Secretary Cristina Roque; Economy, Planning, and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan; Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman; and Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go— were retained by the President.

Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. also tendered his courtesy resignation “to give the Chief Executive a free hand in evaluating my performance in pursuit of further improving public service under his Administration.”

“Ang makapagsilbi po sa sambayanang Pilipino ay isa sa pinakamalaking karangalang ipinagkaloob sa akin,” Rubio said.

(To serve the Filipino people is such great honor bestowed upon me.)

“I remain in full support of His Excellency’s policies and reforms for national progress and development,” he added.—LDF, GMA Integrated News