President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has declined the courtesy resignations submitted by the heads of the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of National Defense (DND), according to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
In a press briefing at Malacañang on Thursday, Bersamin confirmed the appointment of several new officials to lead key agencies following the submission of courtesy resignations by department secretaries, as requested by the President.
When asked by reporters whether the resignation of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla was accepted, Bersamin replied, "Declined 'yung resignation niyan."
He added that the courtesy resignations of Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Defense Secretary Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro were also rejected by the President.
In the same briefing, Bersamin announced that Police Major General Nicolas Torre III will serve as the new chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), replacing outgoing PNP chief Rommel Marbil.
Moreover, the courtesy resignation submitted by Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Prospero de Vera III was accepted by the President. He will be replaced by Shirley Agrupis.
Earlier, several officials took their oaths of office, including University of the Philippines College of Law Dean Atty. Darlene Marie Berberabe, who was sworn in as the new Solicitor General, replacing outgoing Menardo Guevarra.
Jose Ramon Aliling, former undersecretary of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), also took his oath as the new head of the same agency. He replaces Secretary Jose Acuzar, who has been appointed as Presidential Adviser for Pasig River Rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, the following Cabinet officials have been retained in their respective posts, as previously announced:
- Ma. Cristina Aldeguer-Roque — Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
- Ralph Recto — Department of Finance (DOF)
- Arsenio Balisacan — National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
- Amenah Pangandaman — Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
- Frederick Go — Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs
However, some Cabinet members were replaced, including:
- Foreign Affairs Secretary: Enrique Manalo will be replaced by Undersecretary Theresa Lazaro, effective July 31, 2025.
- Environment Secretary: Toni Yulo-Loyzaga has been replaced by Raphael Lotilla, who previously served as Energy Secretary.
President Marcos has retained his core economic team to ensure policy continuity, particularly in the areas of finance, budgeting, economic planning, and trade.
As of this writing, Malacañang has not released a complete list of Cabinet members whose courtesy resignations were accepted.
The ongoing Cabinet reshuffle is seen as part of a broader effort to realign the administration’s priorities and enhance governance in response to recent political developments.
