The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Tracy Cabrera
Geopolitical observers disclosed that it’s gratifying to note that President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Romualdez Marcos Jr. decided to spare executive secretary Lucas ‘Luke’ Purugganan Bersamin and his economic team from a sweeping Cabinet reorganization.
According to Bersamin, around 52 government officials submitted their courtesy resignations but only him and five members of the economic team retained their posts.
“The President declined the courtesy resignation that I tendered . . . He communicated to me that I have his full backing as long as I wish to work for him,” the former Supreme Court chief justice cited.
“And that is a very good gesture from the President because that is a sign of his manifestation of his full trust and confidence in me,” he added as if to settle the misinformation spread online that he was the target of the Cabinet overhaul.
Bersamin reacted to this rumor encouragingly, stressing that he never had any illusion of clinging to his position even as he believes that when the President wants to replace any official, what would be righteous is to step down willingly because officials are just like ordinary soldiers who must follow the orders of their commanding officer.
Going back to the Cabinet revamp, Marcos Jr. also rejected the courtesy resignations of secretaries Maria Cristina Aldeguer-Roque of the Department of Trade and Industry, Ralph Gonzalez Recto of Finance, Amenah ‘Mina’ Flamiano Pangandaman of Budget and Management, Arsenio Molina Balisacan of Economy, Planning and Development and Special Assistant to the President for Investments and Economic Affairs Frederick Go.
“These five will continue in their positions, serving our people, and you can expect that they will be sincere and dedicated to their sworn duties,” Bersamin noted.
Pangandaman expressed deep gratitude to the President for “the steadfast trust, support and confidence” which has reignited her determination to “work even harder for (the) nation and (its) people.”
”The entire economic team shares this vision, reinforcing our collective pursuit of a more prosperous economy. We have always been united with the President in working toward our agenda for prosperity, while pursuing an open government that is transparent and accountable,” she spelled out emphatically.