MANANATILING executive secretary si Lucas Bersamin na nag-anunsyo ng bagong pamunuan ng gabinete kahapon, Biyernes, alinsunod sa direktiba ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr..
Ayon kay Bersamin, umabot sa 52 ang nagsumite ng kanilang courtesy resignations pero siya at ang limang economic team ang mananatili sa kanilang posisyon.
“The President declined the courtesy resignation that I tendered. Just this morning, he communicated to me that I have his full backing as long as I wish to work for him,” sabi ni Bersamin.
Hindi rin tinanggap ni Pangulong Marcos ang pagbibitiw nina Trade Secretary Maria Cristina Roque, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Economic Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and Special Assistant to the President for Investments and Economic Affairs Frederick Go.
Kinumpirma din ni Bersamin ang pagtatalaga kay Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla bilang bagong kalihim ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), kapalit ni Ma. Antonia Yulo Loyzaga.
Ayon kay Bersamin, walang kinasasangkutang isyu ng katiwalian si Loyzaga, ngunit may mga puna ukol sa kanyang madalas na pagbiyahe sa ibang bansa.
“Maybe there is just a perception — I don’t know how fair or unfair that perception is—that she’s more frequently out of the country. That’s the recurring thing that’s being brought to our attention,” paliwanag niya.
Samantala, pansamantalang pamumunuan ni dating mambabatas Sharon Garin ang Department of Energy (DOE) bilang officer-in-charge.
Sa iba pang pagbabago, papalitan ni Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo ang Permanent Representative ng Pilipinas sa United Nations na si Antonio Lagdameo, “who has signified his desire to retire after many years as ambassador.”
Si Manalo ay papalitan ni Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro simula Hulyo 1.
Samantala, itinalaga si Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jerry Acuzar sa bagong tungkulin bilang Presidential Adviser for Pasig River Development.
Si Acuzar, may-ari ng New San Jose Builders Inc., ay bayaw ni dating executive secretary Paquito Ochoa, dating law partner ni first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.
Papalitan ni Ramon Aliling si Acuzar bilang bagong kalihim ng DHSUD.
Si Aliling ay dating DHSUD undersecretary at namamahala sa Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino at isang proyektong nagpapasigla sa Ilog Pasig.
Siya ang kasalukuyang presidente at chief executive officer ng Jose Aliling Construction Management Inc.
Kasunod ng pagbibitiw ni Hans Leo Cacdac bilang kalihim Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), nagpahayag ang DMW na mananatili itong nakatuon sa pagkakaroon ng mas mahusay at mas tumutugon na serbisyo sa mga overseas Filipino worker (OFWs) at kanilang mga pamilya.
“With the guidance and support of the President, the DMW, together with its attached agency Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Migrant Workers Offices and Regional Offices, remain committed to providing better and more responsive services to OFWs and their families left behind as the Administration transitions toward a more focused and performance-driven approach in attending to the nation’s most pressing needs,” ayon sa pahayag ng DMW.
Sabi ni Bersamin. magkakaroon pa ng “more careful evaluation in the other positions” sa mga darating na araw at magkakaroon ng marami pang anunsyo sa kalagitnaan ng susunod na linggo.
“But you can be sure that the President really wants to be responsive to the popular clamor for performance, for change,” paliwanag niya.
Nagpahiwatig siya na maaaring may mga bagong mukha na isasama sa Gabinete.
“There could be. I cannot just say that now because until the President has decided, no one can second guess what the President really has in his arms,” sabi ni Bersamin.