President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expanded Thursday’s initial order for Cabinet members to turn in their unqualified courtesy resignations. Now, bureau chiefs and heads of agencies of the same rank are also being asked to step down.
According to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin who himself has been retained, the President is keeping Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque, and Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go at their posts. The President has acknowledged their importance in the achievement of the country’s economic targets. They were retained so that “there will be no more problems with perception about where the country is going,” Secretary Bersamin said.
Others have been replaced or reassigned.
The rest are awaiting the President’s decision on their courtesy move, and while doing so shall perform their duties and functions until an announcement is made.
Mr. Marcos called for the resignations supposedly to recalibrate the administration following the midterm elections held last May 12. As chief executive, this is his prerogative, as a member of Cabinet is his alter ego. The past years have been a good-enough gauge of how these handpicked officials reflect the President’s agenda.
It’s a healthy practice, actually, not just in this instance. A regular assessment of officials’ performance is necessary so that nobody feels indispensable at one’s job, or identifies oneself too much with the position. Underperformance or under delivery are grounds for commensurate action.
The gesture is called courtesy resignation to give the appointing power a free hand to do as he pleases. The real courtesy, however, is having the people in mind first and foremost. It is the people who deserve the best-performing leaders they could have in each aspect of governance and society. Decisions, then, as to who get appointed to the top posts in each agency should be based solely on the track record and qualifications of the officials being considered.
The next three years of the administration will be of utmost importance. Filipinos have long aspired for better economics, better social services, and better infrastructure, among others. It is reassuring to think that nobody is taking anything for granted at this point.
