President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has officially appointed former Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. as the country’s new Cabinet Secretary, Malacañang announced on Wednesday.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed the appointment, noting that Abalos took his oath of office before President Marcos on Wednesday afternoon.
Before this appointment, Abalos served as the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and was a candidate for the Senate in the 2025 midterm elections.
In his new role as Cabinet Secretary, Abalos is tasked with coordinating the vital work of the Cabinet, facilitating high-level discussions on key government policies and programs, and strengthening synergy among various executive departments to advance the Marcos administration’s core priorities.
The Cabinet functions as the President’s primary advisory body, serving as a critical venue for national policy coordination, strategic information sharing, and the swift resolution of interagency concerns.
The Office of the Cabinet Secretary integrates and coordinates the programmatic policy priorities of the Executive branch. It ensures that the directives of the President are efficiently executed across all line agencies to streamline public service delivery.
