THIS year marked sweeping changes in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s official family as he promised “sharper, faster and fully focused governance.” Marcos asked all Cabinet-level officials to submit courtesy resignations, in what Malacañang described as a “bold reset” of his administration following the administration coalition’s weak performance in the May 12 elections. What began as a blanket request for courtesy resignations in mid-May evolved into a full-fledged reorganization of the president’s core team. While several top officials have been replaced or reassigned, a significant number of department heads have been asked to stay on, reflecting a strategy that favors continuity in critical areas while addressing calls for improved performance. The move led to the exit of former Environment secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga and the reassignment of others, including former Energy secretary Raphael Lotilla, who moved to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Marcos also accepted the resignation of some officials, including former solicitor general Menardo Guevarra, former Commission on Higher Education chairman Prospero De Vera, former Presidential Commission on the Urban Poor chairman and chief executive officer Meynardo Sabili, former presidential adviser for Special Concerns Menandro Espineli, and former Trade secretary Alfredo Pascual, who stepped down to return to the private sector. The president declined the courtesy resignations of most officials, particularly his economic team, indicating confidence in their performance. Those retained include then executive secretary Lucas Bersamin, Agriculture secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., then Finance secretary and now Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, then Budget chief Amenah Pangandaman, then Transportation secretary and Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, Education Secretary Sonny Angara, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr., Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, Information and Technology Secretary Henry Aguda, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, and Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Charlie Galvez Jr. Two months later, Marcos disclosed what he described as collusion among lawmakers and contractors to secure billions of pesos in kickbacks from public works projects, triggering a second round of Cabinet change. The disclosure was followed by claims from resigned lawmaker Elizaldy Co, who alleged the president was tied to about P100 billion in questionable budget insertions for 2024, an accusation Marcos has repeatedly rejected. The president’s remarks in his fourth State of the Nation Address in July set off more departures. Bonoan resigned soon after, while Bersamin and Pangandaman also left after accusations raised by resigned lawmakers. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the exit of Bersamin and Pangandaman was meant to allow investigations to proceed unhampered. Marcos tapped Recto as his executive secretary and appointed Frederick Go to lead the Finance Department. Pangandaman was replaced by Budget Undersecretary RolandoToledo as acting secretary of the Department of Budget and Management. Several reports circulated online that both Angara and Aguda were on the president’s chopping block as another Cabinet shakeup loomed. Angara dismissed suggestions for him to quit after he was tagged in alleged kickbacks from budget insertions during his term as Senate finance panel chairman and said the allegations were baseless. Aguda said he was clueless about the alleged P6.5 billion insertion in the Department of Information and Communication Technology’s budget this year. Castro denied that Angara and Aguda were on their way out of the Marcos administration, saying the president remained satisfied with the performance of his Cabinet. “The president is content with his Cabinet secretaries, and as long as they stay there, the president continues to trust them,” she said. Political analyst Froilan Calilung said that the president saw “some systemic and structural problems that need to be addressed” when he sought the resignation of his Cabinet officials. “I believe the president will not come up with this drastic measure if he did not see that something is broken. So he tried to come up with this very sweeping measure to really revamp his Cabinet by virtue of a courtesy of mass resignation,” Calilung told The Manila Times. “I think what the president will do here is he will try to reassess and see, monitor and try to evaluate who needs to be replaced and who needs to be retained. I don’t see all of them will be removed,” Calilung said. “Of course, the policies and programs that have been laid out will have major changes if the head of each department is gone. I believe that the president understands this,” he added.