Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon expressed gratitude for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s continued trust after a recent cabinet recalibration.
“We Cabinet secretaries serve at the pleasure of the President, and I am humbled by his decision and appreciate his confidence in me,” Tiu Laurel said. He affirmed his commitment to advancing the administration’s agricultural agenda.
Dizon vowed to accelerate major transportation projects to ease the daily plight of commuters and help them save time. His commitment comes after the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) approved his ad interim appointment on Wednesday.
Dizon reiterated President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to improve the lives of Filipinos by addressing issues faced by the transport sector.
“I was asked by the President to make the lives of our commuters more comfortable, safe and to fast-track the ongoing projects that will uplift the lives of our commuters on a daily basis,” Dizon said.
Tiu Laurel, meanwhile, focused on modernizing Philippine agriculture through science-based solutions, mechanization and infrastructure upgrades.
His priorities include boosting rice production, reducing import dependency and stabilizing food prices. Reflecting on his first year, he acknowledged challenges but emphasized progress in steering the Department of Agriculture (DA) toward sustainable transformation. He remains focused on implementing reforms to improve the livelihoods of Filipino farmers and fisherfolk. Othel V. campos
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco also vowed to intensify efforts to revitalize the country’s tourism industry. “I am deeply honored and profoundly grateful to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the trust and confidence he has once again placed in me to continue serving as secretary of Tourism,” she said.
“With this renewed commitment, I will continue to push for innovative programs to build gains for the industry and gainful livelihood for the Filipino people who rely on tourism,” she said.
Frasco submitted her courtesy resignation on May 22 in response to the President’s midterm cabinet review. Her reappointment was met with overwhelming support from tourism stakeholders, including the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (NAITAS) and local government units across the country.
The Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) lauded her contributions, citing milestones such as the Philippine Tourism and Hotel Investment Summit 2024 and the Philippine Hotel Industry Strategic Action Plan (PHISAP) 2023–2028. Within the Department of Tourism (DOT), the DOT Employees Association (DOTEA) issued a letter of full and unwavering support for Frasco, highlighting her integrity, professionalism and employee-centered initiatives.
