President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. accepted the courtesy resignations of three government officials and named a new chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said on Tuesday.
The President accepted the resignations of Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Meynardo Sabili, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Terence Calatrava, and Presidential Adviser on Muslim Affairs Almarim Tillah.
Meanwhile, Presidential Adviser for Special Concerns Menandro Espineli was terminated.
The President also appointed lawyer Francisco Edralin Lim as SEC chairperson to replace Emilio Aquino, whose term will expire on June 5.
“I make no grand promises—only that I will put my heart and soul into this important responsibility, guided by the highest standards of integrity and service, for the good of our country,” Lim said.
Lim previously served as the president and chief executive officer of the Philippine Stock Exchange. He is also a senior partner at Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALAW) and is a former trustee and president of the Shareholders’ Association of the Philippines Inc (SharePHIL).
Meanwhile, the President withdrew his acceptance of the resignation of Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.
The Palace earlier announced that Manalo will be assigned as Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
“Because of the necessity for him (Manalo) to be confirmed before going over as permanent envoy to the United Nations, the President recognizes the designation to be considered as done only after his confirmation,” Bersamin said.
Manalo’s appointment as the country’s Permanent Representative to the UN will most likely take effect by August 1 or until it is confirmed, the Palace official added.
Manalo will be succeeded as DFA chief by Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro.
The latest reshuffle came after Mr. Marcos’ earlier directive for all Cabinet officials and several presidential appointees to submit courtesy resignations as part of a performance evaluation and leadership review aimed at enhancing government efficiency.
Bersamin confirmed that the heads of the following agencies will remain in their posts: the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), and Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). Also included in the list of those secretaries who will stay in their post are: Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Bureau of Customs (BOC), and the chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).
“All of them who have been retained are expected to give fresh attention to the mandates and to give more performance, show more performance in our respective areas,” Bersamin said.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Marcos accepts resignations of 3 advisers, 1 terminated—Palace.”
