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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Marcos appoints Abalos as Cabinet Secretary

Marcos appoints Abalos as Cabinet Secretary

Published Jul 8, 2026 02:26 pm

At A Glance

  • President Marcos has appointed former Interior Secretary Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr. as Cabinet Secretary.
  • The appointment fulfills the President's earlier statement that he wanted Abalos back in government after his unsuccessful Senate bid in the 2025 elections.
  • The move also revives the Office of the Cabinet Secretary, which Marcos abolished at the start of his administration as part of a government rightsizing initiative.
Incoming Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos (File)
Incoming Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos (File)

President Marcos has appointed former Interior Secretary Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr. as Cabinet Secretary, bringing back a key Palace position that the President himself abolished at the start of his administration.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro announced the appointment on Wednesday, July 8, saying Abalos would immediately assume the post.

Abalos, who served as Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) from 2022 to 2024, was scheduled to take his oath of office on Wednesday.

Castro said Marcos has tasked Abalos with serving as one of the President's key advisers on political and governance matters.

Among his primary responsibilities is to "assist the President by providing timely, relevant, and strategic advice on emerging national, local, and international issues affecting the political landscape."

Abalos has also been directed to serve as the President's conduit to national government agencies, local government units, political organizations, civil society organizations, and various sectoral groups on matters of political concern.

In addition, he will head the Strategic Action and Response Office and exercise supervision and control over its constituent offices.

The appointment comes over a year after Abalos lost his bid for a Senate seat under the administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate in the May 2025 midterm elections.

Even before the announcement, Marcos had repeatedly expressed his desire to bring Abalos back into government so the latter could “play a more active role in government.”

The President publicly described Abalos as one of the administration's most effective officials and said he intended to continue tapping his experience in governance.

Before resigning from the DILG in 2024 to run for senator, Abalos led several key administration initiatives, including anti-illegal drug operations, peace and order programs, and local government reforms.

Abalos served as chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) from 2021 to 2022, before leading the DILG.

Cabinet Secretary post revived

Abalos' appointment also marks the return of the Cabinet Secretary position after Marcos abolished the Office of the Cabinet Secretary shortly after assuming office in 2022. However, Castro was unsure if the President would issue an Executive Order (EO) reviving the said office.

In June 2022, the President issued EO No. 1 reorganizing the Executive Office and abolishing the Office of the Cabinet Secretary as part of his administration's efforts to streamline government operations and eliminate overlapping functions.

At the time, the functions of the former Cabinet Secretary were redistributed among the Executive Secretary, the Presidential Management Staff, and other offices under the Office of the President.

The Office of the Cabinet Secretary was originally created to facilitate coordination among Cabinet departments, monitor the implementation of presidential directives, and oversee the preparation of Cabinet meetings.

Related Tags

President Marcos Bongbong Marcos Claire Castro Benhur Abalos Cabinet Secretary
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