Abalos named secretary of Cabinet

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has appointed former interior and local government chief Benhur Abalos as secretary of the Cabinet, Malacañang announced.

Abalos was sworn in by the President yesterday.

At a press briefing, Palace press officer Claire Castro enumerated some of Abalos’ duties as Cabinet secretary.

Abalos will “assist the President by providing timely, relevant and strategic advice on emerging national, local and international issues affecting the political landscape,” Castro said.

“As may be directed by the President, (he will) serve as a conduit of the President to national government agencies, local government units, political organizations, groups or parties, civil society organizations and sectoral groups on matters of political concern, and also serve as head of strategic action and response office and for this purpose exercise supervision and control over its constituent offices,” she said.

Abalos served as secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government from June 2022 to October 2024.

In an interview in Kazan, Russia last month, Marcos said Abalos “has been there and he has been helping us in many ways, informally, privately.”

“I’ll be very candid, I’ll be very frank with you. Of course, I want Benhur to play a more active role in government,” the President said.

“I wouldn’t mind finding a way for him to help us in an official capacity,” he said.

Abalos ran and lost under the administration-backed Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate in the May 2025 senatorial race.

Meanwhile, Marcos also named Philip Lo as secretary of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas and lawyer Nesauro Firme as member of the Judicial and Bar Council, representing academe.