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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Not all Marcos Cabinet execs competent? Palace agrees, cites VP Sara as example

Not all Marcos Cabinet execs competent? Palace agrees, cites VP Sara as example

Published Feb 25, 2026 05:21 pm
PCO Undersecretary Claire Castro and Vice President Sara Duterte
PCO Undersecretary Claire Castro and Vice President Sara Duterte
On a rare occasion, Malacañang has agreed with Vice President Sara Duterte when she said that not all Cabinet secretaries under President Marcos are competent, although she was cited as an example.
"Let us look who's talking," Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said when she was asked to comment on Duterte's latest remark.
In an interview over the weekend, Duterte criticized the Marcos administration, saying the governance and departments seem disorganized, stressing that no one gives them orders and no one oversees them. She said it would be good if all the secretaries are competent
"Mukhang tumama naman po siya dahil siya bilang secretary ng DepEd (Department of Education) naitalaga siya ng Pangulo, pinagtiwalaan siya ng Pangulo pero sa bandang huli aamin pala ang Bise Presidente na siya ay walang kalam-alam sa pagiging DepEd secretary (It seems that she's right because, as DepEd secretary, she was appointed and trusted by the President, but in the end, the Vice President admitted that she really had no knowledge about being a DepEd secretary)," Castro fired back in a Palace briefing on Wednesday, Feb. 25.
"So, totoo po iyan hindi po lahat ng secretary na naitalaga dahil sa tiwala ng Pangulo, sa paniniwala sa kanila, ay hindi pala talaga magaling (So, that's true, not all secretaries appointed by the President because he trusts them and has confidence in them, turned out to be incompetent)," Castro added.
The Palace official went on to criticize Duterte for the alleged irregularities during her term as the Education secretary, citing the non-existent students, vouchers, food packs, laptops, and other school materials.
"Doon pa lamang po sa mga ghost students, ghost vouchers, ghost food packs, ghost laptops, ghost school materials – lahat ng multong ito ng Bise Presidente noong siya ay DepEd secretary huwag niyang ipahid kay Pangulo (Just look at the ghost students, ghost vouchers, ghost food packs, ghost laptops, ghost school materials—all of these 'ghost' issues during the Vice President’s time as DepEd secretary should not be blamed on the President)," Castro said.
"At ang mga kalat na ito ay ngayon winawalis at nililinis ni Secretary Sonny Angara ng DepEd (And now, all this mess is being swept up and cleaned by Secretary Sonny Angara of the DepEd)," she added.

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Marcos Cabinet VP Sara Duterte Claire Castro President Marcos
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