Press secretary Atty. Trixie Cruz-Angeles. (Screengrab from Atty. Vic Rodriguez’s FB video)
MANILA, Philippines — There is still no announcement as to when the first Cabinet meeting of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will be held, the Palace said Monday.
Press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said this as criticisms pour in regarding the schedule of Marcos’ first Cabinet meeting compared to his predecessors.
“We have no official announcement yet as to when the first Cabinet meeting is going to be held,” Cruz-Angeles said in a press briefing.
“But the secretaries are given the opportunity, those who have been appointed, to make the assessments. These will all be taken into consideration,” she added.
Netizens pointed out that former President Rodrigo Duterte had his first Cabinet meeting the same day he was appointed on June 30, 2016.
Late president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III also led his first Cabinet meeting on his first day as chief executive on June 30, 2010, critics noted.
The Marcos Cabinet remains incomplete as of July 4. Cruz-Angeles, however, said that the administration is now in the ”final evaluation stage” in selecting candidates.
Vacant Cabinet posts so far include the Department of Health, the Department of Energy, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.
Marcos on Monday attended his first flag-raising ceremony in Malacanang as the president of the country.
He also attended the inaugural executive committee meeting of the Department of Agriculture. Marcos earlier said he will head the department “for now.”
On Monday afternoon, Marcos will attend the change-of-command ceremony of the Presidential Security Group.