MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday appointed former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos as Cabinet Secretary, assigning him a key role in coordinating government policies and advising the President on political and governance matters, Malacañang announced.
Abalos took his oath of office before President Marcos later the same day.
According to Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro, Abalos will provide the President with timely, relevant, and strategic advice on emerging national, local, and international issues that may affect the country’s political landscape.
Castro said the President may also designate Abalos as his liaison with national government agencies, local government units, political organizations and parties, civil society organizations, and sectoral groups on matters involving political concerns.
In addition, Abalos will head the Strategic Action and Response Office (SARO) and exercise supervision and control over its constituent offices.
In a statement, Abalos expressed gratitude to President Marcos for the appointment.
“I am deeply honored and grateful for the trust and confidence that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has placed in me through this appointment,” Abalos said.
“As Cabinet Secretary, our priority will be to strengthen coordination across government agencies, support the effective implementation of the Administration’s key programs, and promote a culture of professionalism, accountability, and excellence in public service,” he added.
Abalos previously served as Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) from 2022 to 2024 under the Marcos administration. He later ran for a Senate seat in the May 2025 midterm elections but was unsuccessful.
His appointment comes weeks after President Marcos named former Senator Francis Tolentino as acting Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Tolentino also lost his bid for reelection in the 2025 midterm elections.
Both appointments were made after the one-year constitutional prohibition on appointing defeated election candidates to government positions had expired. Under Article IX-B, Section 6 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, candidates who lose in an election cannot be appointed to any office in the government or any government-owned or controlled corporation within one year after the election.
The appointment of Abalos places a longtime public servant and former Cabinet member back in a senior role within the Marcos administration as it continues to strengthen coordination among government agencies and advance its policy agenda.
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