Palace: Abalos to represent Marcos, ensure services reach all Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines —  Newly appointed Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. will travel around the country to represent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and ensure that government services reach and benefit the people, Palace press officer Claire Castro said on Thursday.

Abalos took his oath of office before Marcos on Wednesday, marking his return to government service after the one-year appointment ban imposed on candidates who lost in the 2025 elections expired.

READ: Benhur Abalos appointed as Cabinet Secretary

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“Instead of having a Cabinet Secretary focused solely on managing the President’s Cabinet meetings, the President’s directive to Cabinet Secretary Benhur is to ensure that every Filipino feels and benefits from the services provided by the government,” Castro said at a briefing.

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“And as CabSec, President Marcos Jr. also directed him to go around the country to represent him and call on the Cabinet members to help address the concerns of the public. All these tasks are embodied in CabSec Benhur’s terms of references attached to his appointment,” she added.

Castro said Abalos’ responsibilities will not overlap with those of Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr.

Despite the similarity in titles, the Palace official said Abalos’ role is different from that of the former Office of the Cabinet Secretary, which was abolished in 2022.

Plenary power to appoint

Castro said there is no need for Marcos to issue an executive order to create the new position.

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“According to the Office of the Executive Secretary, an executive order is not necessary because what the President did was simply exercise his plenary power to appoint,” she said.

“Cabinet Secretary Benhur’s appointment reflects the President’s effort to redefine the role of the Cabinet Secretary pursuant to his authority to reorganize the Executive Branch, particularly the Office of the President. Second, it is an exercise of the President’s plenary power to appoint,” she added.

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The reorganization was prompted by the need to focus on delivering assistance to as many Filipinos as possible, Castro said. /mr

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