Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said Friday that all remaining Cabinet secretaries are undergoing a thorough performance evaluation to determine who will be retained and continue to help President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in serving the Filipino people.
In a press briefing at Malacañang, Executive Secretary Bersamin announced the initial changes in the Cabinet, including the retention of five key members of the economic team and the replacement of two officials as part of the ongoing revamp in the executive department.
Bersamin, who is retained by the President, refused to give a timetable for the evaluation but stressed that it will be done in an “immediate” and “careful” manner.
“Si Presidente narinig niyo siya ‘immediate.’ But you know, humanly possible na evaluation is one at a time. Hindi mo puwedeng i-lump sum ‘yung mga Cabinet secretaries because each has a different area of responsibility, each has a burden that is different from the other, from the next one,” the Palace official said.
“If you will give me the liberty of saying, ‘yung pag-e-evaluate you must also be careful. Hindi ka puwedeng arbitrary diyan,” he added.
President Marcos ordered Cabinet members to file courtesy resignations as he conducted an evaluation of their performance as a way to address public frustration over delays in meeting immediate, day-to-day needs.
Bersamin said the ongoing evaluation will be tailored to each department or agency’s specific tasks and objectives.
He said the administration is committed to conducting the process as swiftly as possible without compromising due diligence.
He likewise assured that the evaluation process is in line with the President’s goal of improving government performance and effectiveness and ensuring that the programs and projects are felt by the people.
Bersamin said he will make further announcements regarding the Cabinet revamp next week “once decisions are made.”
Meanwhile, Bersamin dismissed the perception that the ongoing Cabinet shakeup is only being done to look good in public.
He said asking the Cabinet secretaries to tender their courtesy resignations is an “honorable” way to let go of those who might not meet the president’s expectations.
“When I said that we are all serving at the will of the President, at the President’s pleasure, we will have to humanize. So, demanding a courtesy resignation is the best way of doing it because all that you can do is just to accept, and that’s the end of the debate,” he said. | PND
