President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has retained Secretary Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez as Technical Education Skills Development Authority director general, Malacañang announced on Tuesday, July 3.
Marcos had called for the courtesy resignation of all Cabinet secretaries in May to give him elbow room to evaluate the performance of each department and determine who will continue to serve.
The president retained, Benitez, and a significant number of Cabinet officials who submitted their courtesy resignations amid his ongoing recalibration process, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin announced at a Malacañang press briefing on Tuesday.
“Tuloy lang po ang trabaho natin para sa bayan (our work for the country continues),” Benitez said in a post on his Facebook page.
“We thank President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for his continued trust and confidence. We view this as a challenge and an opportunity to redouble our efforts to fulfill his vision of better outcomes for TESDA graduates,” Benitez said.
Marcos appointed Benitez as TESDA chief in August last year cutting his second term a representative of the 3rd District of Negros Occidental short.
The other retained Cabinet officials are:
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara
Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac
Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco
Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon
Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile
Presidential Management Staff Secretary Elaine Masukat
MMDA Chairman Romando Artes
Mindanao Development Authority Chairman Leo Tereso Magno
Presidential Adviser for Mindanao Concerns Secretary Antonio Cerilles
BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr.
Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio
National Treasurer Sharon Almanza
The President accepted the courtesy resignations of Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Maynardo Sabili; Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Terrence Calatrava; and Presidential Assistant on Muslim Affairs Almarim Tillah.
Francis Lim is the incoming chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Commission replacing Emilio Aquino, whose term ends on June 5.*with a report from PNA