The announcement of Ralph G. Recto's appointment as the 43rd Finance Secretary of the Philippines came after months of speculation that had been swirling since September 2023. Interestingly, the confirmation, which coincided with Recto's 60th birthday, was revealed by his acclaimed actress wife Vilma Santos-Recto during a casual interview with an entertainment columnist on Jan. 11.
Shortly there after Santos-Rectos’ confirmation, Malacañang officially announced Recto’s appointment to the Department of Finance on the night of Jan. 11.
After he was sworn in on Jan. 12, Recto said his main objective was to raise P4.3 trillion in government revenue for the year without the necessity of introducing new taxes, at least in the short term.