Malacañang has ordered the streamlining of the administrative structure of the Office of the President as part of the Marcos administration's efforts "towards efficiency and responsiveness in the delivery of its critical mandates to the Filipino people."
Under Executive Order No. 11, the Office of the President shall be organized and will consist of five offices, over which the President will have control and supervision.
In crafting the order, the Palace cited the President's "continuing authority" to reorganize the administrative structure of his office to achieve simplicity, economy and efficiency.
Thus, the offices shall be the Executive Office; Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel; Private Office; Office of the Special Assistant to the President; and Presidential Communications Office.
The Executive Office shall consist of the offices of the following: Executive Secretary, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary, Deputy Executive Secretary for General Administration, Deputy Secretary for Legal Affairs, Deputy Executive Secretary for Finance and Administration and Internal Audit Office.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel will provide legal advice and assistance to the President while the Office of the Special Assistant to the President shall have control and supervision over President Assistants and the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office.
The Private Office will remain as the office providing direct services to the President and attend to personal functions and matters of the First Family.
Lastly is the Presidential Communications Office, which will be the new name for the Office of the Press Secretary. It shall be responsible for crafting, formulating, developing, enhancing and coordinating the messaging system of the executive branch of the government.
On the other hand, the Presidential Management Staff will be under the control of the Office of the Executive Secretary to provide staff assistance to the various offices under the Office of the President.
According to the order, it will likewise perform the functions of the Cabinet Secretariat in assisting the President for establishing agenda topics during Cabinet deliberations and meetings.
The order also states that the Executive Secretary will have control over the offices and agencies outside the Office of the President proper for policy and program coordination.