Senator-elect Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson urged President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. on Thursday to quickly address the pending courtesy resignations of his Cabinet members to avoid potential inefficiency and division in the administration.
Lacson noted that since the President requested the courtesy resignations, there has been intense competition for positions within the Cabinet, with some individuals resorting to dishonest tactics.
“An unsolicited advice: the President should act quickly on the pending courtesy resignations. The season for jockeying for positions has intensified with the usual circulation of ‘white papers’ and floating of names of ‘applicants’ to fill up some still ‘unvacated posts,” he said.
“Uncertainty often leads to inefficiency and divisiveness in the ranks,” he added.
So far, the President has accepted the resignations of at least two out of the 52 Cabinet officials, who submitted their courtesy resignations: Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga.
However, he has retained key members of his economic team, emphasizing the need to maintain financial stability. Some Cabinet members have been reassigned to different roles.
Lacson has previously emphasized that the President must do more than just recalibrate his administration; he must also use his influence over Congress to eliminate unnecessary insertions and “pork barrel” funding in the 2026 budget.
Moreover, he advocated for the integration of “ayuda” programs under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) into the National Expenditure Program, which is part of the proposed budget bill that Malacañang will submit to Congress.
“With the President taking the lead in curbing the insatiable greed of some legislators, I pledge to do my part in helping him create a national budget that genuinely responds to the people’s demands for accountability and restraint among Congress members in addressing their constituents’ needs,” Lacson said.
