Metro Manila, Philippines – Senator Rodante Marcoleta sounded the alarm over the prolonged acting status of eight Cabinet officials, saying it defies the Constitution — a sentiment shared by Senate leadership.
“As we speak, several key government agencies are being run by acting secretaries. Officials who wield immense power, control billion peso budgets, and approve critical infrastructure projects yet have not undergone confirmation,” Marcoleta said in a privilege speech during plenary session on Wednesday, Jan. 28.
The minority senator pointed out that the Constitution mandates presidential appointees to be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments (CA), a powerful body of lawmakers tasked to scrutinize and either approve or reject such officials.
He said the following officials have yet to face the CA:
- Acting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto
- Acting Finance Secretary Frederick Go
- Acting Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon
- Acting Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida
- Acting Budget Secretary Rolando Toledo
- Acting Environment Secretary Raphael Lotilla
- Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez
- Acting Communications Secretary Dave Gomez
The Cabinet was reshuffled after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. asked for the courtesy resignations of all Cabinet secretaries in May 2025, following the midterm elections.
Marcoleta said that while appointing acting secretaries to ensure continuity of government is not inherently wrong, “what is dangerous is when ‘acting’ becomes permanent by design.”
“Our acting secretaries have been running major Cabinet departments for months on end. Some for two or four months now, and one for over half a year and up to this day, Mr. President, none of their appointment letters have been transmitted to the CA,” he said.
“They can issue policies, approve projects, sign contracts and approve expenditure of public funds. They wield all the authority of permanent secretaries while evading constitutional scrutiny and consent. Mr. President, the Constitution envisions a system of checks and balances, not convenience and circumvention,” he added.
Senate leaders echoed Marcoleta’s concerns.
“First, I’d like to associate myself, because this has been lingering for quite some time,” Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said.
“This is just in jest, Mr. President, this is one of the very few times that I’m in agreement with Senator Marcoleta,” he added.
Lacson previously replaced Marcoleta as chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee following a leadership shakeup, and the two have since traded barbs over the panel’s investigation into the flood control corruption scandal.
Lacson recalled reminding Recto that the CA needs ad interim appointment letters to begin confirmation proceedings. He said he also raised the issue with Vida during the Jan. 19 Blue Ribbon Committee hearing.
“But even then, wala rin po nangyari, kasi nag-resume na tayo last Monday, and no ad interim appointments were signed by the President. I wonder why this is the case,” Lacson said.
[Translation: But even then, nothing happened. We resumed session last Monday, and still no ad interim appointments have been signed by the President. I wonder why this is the case.]
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III noted that acting secretaries face limitations, including restrictions on signing certain budget documents.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said that while some officials—such as Lotilla, Recto, and Dizon—had previously been confirmed by the CA, those confirmations were for different Cabinet positions.
“But if you are appointed to a new position, you have to come back,” Zubiri said.
Senator Erwin Tulfo suggested formally raising the concern with the executive branch, a move Sotto said may be done soon. Lacson added that he had already raised the matter informally on several occasions.
