Marcos appoints Benhur Abalos as Cabinet Secretary

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday appointed former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos as Cabinet Secretary, Malacañang announced.

Abalos took his oath before Marcos later in the day.

According to Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro, Abalos will assist the President by providing timely, relevant, and strategic advice on emerging national, local, and international issues affecting the political landscape.

She said Abalos may also be tasked by the President to serve as his liaison with national government agencies, local government units, political organizations and parties, civil society organizations, and sectoral groups on matters of political concern.

In addition, Abalos will head the Strategic Action and Response Office and exercise supervision and control over its constituent offices, Castro said.

In a statement, Abalos thanked Marcos for his trust and confidence.

“I am deeply honored and grateful for the trust and confidence that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has placed in me through this appointment,” Abalos said.

"As Cabinet Secretary, our priority will be to strengthen coordination across government agencies, support the effective implementation of the Administration's key programs, and promote a culture of professionalism, accountability, and excellence in public service," he added.

Abalos served as secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government under the Marcos administration from 2022 to 2024.

He ran for a Senate seat in the May 2025 midterm elections but lost.

In late May, Marcos appointed Francis Tolentino, who lost his bid for Senate reelection in 2025, as acting secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment.

Both appointments were made after the Constitution's one-year prohibition on appointing candidates who lost an election to any government office had lapsed. — VBL, GMA News