President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. appointed former Interior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. as the new Cabinet secretary, signaling a shift in the administration’s executive organization.
Abalos, who vacated his Department of the Interior and Local Government post to run for a 2025 Senate seat, took the oath of office on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Palace press office.
The appointment follows the June 2022 abolition of the Office of the Cabinet Secretary under Executive Order No. 1, which reassigned its functions to the Presidential Management Staff.
In his new role, Abalos will coordinate Cabinet operations, facilitate policy discussions, and strengthen collaboration among executive departments to advance the President’s priorities.
The ceremony also included the swearing‑in of former Development Bank of the Philippines chairperson Philip G. Lo as secretary of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, and the reappointment of law professor and lawyer Nesauro H. Firme as a regular member of the Judicial and Bar Council representing the academe.
