President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered the abolition of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) and the Office of the Cabinet Secretary in line with the reorganization of the Office of the President.
Marcos’ first executive order (EO) noted the need to “achieve a comprehensive and meaningful recovery through a just allocation of resources and a simplified internal management and governance of the Office of the President.”
“The Administration shall streamline official processes and procedures by reorganizing the Office of the President proper and the various attached agencies and offices, and by abolishing duplicated and overlapping official functions,” a portion of the EO read.
The functions of the PACC shall be transferred to the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs which “shall make recommendations on matters requiring its action, to the Executive Secretary for approval, adoption or modification by the President.”
Meanwhile, the “existing Cabinet Secretariat shall be placed under the direct control and supervision of the Presidential Management Staff.”
The same EO also directs the creation of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Military and Police Affairs under the administration of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President.
Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, a constitutionalist, said there is nothing new with the President’s move which is part of presidential prerogative.
“Different presidents have created different offices… You know, very important sa isang Pangulo na suportado siya ng Armed Forces at ang Kapulisan,” he said.
“I think President Marcos wants to send the signal na he has a special attention for the military and the police, and also attending to them. And by the way, it also works for the citizens, kasi kung may complaints, may angal ang mga mamamayan, laban sa kapulisan, o pagmamalabis ng armed forces, pwede nilang i-file sa office na iyon,” he added.
Marcos’ second EO also scrapped the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson and renamed the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) to Office of the Press Secretary.
The OPS is currently led by Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles. – With reports from Mela Lesmoras-ag
