PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed former Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos as the new Cabinet Secretary, Malacañang officially announced on Wednesday.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed the appointment, adding that Abalos was set to take his oath of office later the same day. The new role places him in a key position within the administration, tasked with supporting the President in overseeing various concerns across government and society.
According to Castro, Abalos will serve as a close adviser to the Chief Executive, providing timely, relevant, and strategic insights on emerging national, local, and international issues that shape the country’s political landscape. Beyond giving recommendations, he will also act as the President’s liaison between national government agencies, local government units, political parties and groups, civil society organizations, and different sectoral associations. This coordination function is expected to help streamline communication and ensure that the administration’s policies and priorities are clearly understood and implemented.
In addition to these duties, Abalos will also head the Strategic Action and Response Office, giving him direct supervision and control over its operations and constituent units. The appointment brings him back to active government service after previously leading the Department of the Interior and Local Government from 2022 to 2024. He later ran for a Senate seat during the May 2025 midterm elections but did not secure a spot in the upper chamber.
Malacañang clarified that the appointment complies with constitutional rules, noting that the one‑year prohibition on naming losing election candidates to government positions has already lapsed. This follows a similar move made in late May, when the President appointed former Senator Francis Tolentino—who also lost his reelection bid in 2025—as Acting Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment. With these appointments, the administration continues to fill key positions with experienced officials as it moves forward with its policy and governance agenda.
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