President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has officially appointed Sharon Garin as the new Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE), Malacañang announced today. The appointment was confirmed by Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro during a press briefing.
Secretary Garin brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her new role. “Secretary Garin is a lawyer and CPA (Certified Public Accountant) with extensive public service experience,” Castro stated. “Having served as a multi-term Iloilo representative and DOE undersecretary, with a strong background in energy policy and legislation to advance accessible, reliable, and sustainable energy for our people.”
Garin, who has been serving as DOE officer-in-charge since May 2025, formally takes the helm from Raphael Lotilla, who has been appointed Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Before her role as OIC, she served as an Undersecretary of the DOE since 2022, demonstrating a deep understanding of the department’s operations and objectives.
A distinguished academic, Secretary Garin holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management (Accounting) from the University of the Philippines – Iloilo. She furthered her education with a Juris Doctor from the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from ESADE Business School in Spain.
Before joining the executive branch, Secretary Garin had a notable career in the legislative arena, representing the AAMBIS-Owa Partylist in the House of Representatives from 2010 to 2022. During her tenure as a lawmaker, she held significant leadership positions, including Deputy Speaker from 2016 to 2019, and chaired the House Committee on Economic Affairs from 2019 to 2020, and again from 2021 to 2022.
Her extensive background in both public service and energy policy positions Secretary Garin to lead the DOE in its mission to ensure accessible, reliable, and sustainable energy for the Filipino people.
