Marcos OKs forming Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff, Palace says | ABS-CBN

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Marcos OKs forming Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff, Palace says

Marcos OKs forming Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff, Palace says

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Sep 17, 2022 08:46 PM PHT

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reviews documents as he meets energy officials in Malacañang, Thursday, July 7, 2022, with Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez sitting beside him. Presidential Photographers Division handout/file
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reviews documents as he meets energy officials in Malacañang, Thursday, July 7, 2022, with Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez sitting beside him. Presidential Photographers Division handout/file

MANILA (UPDATED) — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has approved the creation of the Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff this weekend, following the resignation of long-time aide Vic Rodriguez as his executive secretary, Malacañang said Saturday.

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said Marcos approved Administrative Order No. 1, forming the chief of staff's office. This will be headed by Rodriguez, who will assume the position immediately, after stepping down as the "little president."

The new office will be "under the direct supervision of the President" and Marcos' chief of staff will "have the rank and emoluments of a Cabinet secretary."

The administrative order "took effect immediately" according to the Press Secretary.

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POWERS, FUNCTIONS

The Malacañang chief of staff will primarily supervise and assist the operations of the Office of the President "to enable the President to focus on strategic national concerns," Cruz-Angeles said.

She described the new office as the "coordination mechanism of the Office of the President."

Among other functions are the following:

  • - Coordinate closely with the Presidential Management Staff (PMS)
  • - Coordinate with presidential advisers and assistants for outputs. These outputs will be submitted through the Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff copy furnished the Executive Secretary.
  • - In-charge of the President's security monitoring system for real-time situation reports submission.

Its staff will be sourced from the agencies the President himself abolished at the start of his term, which includes the Office of the Cabinet Secretary and the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission.

Marcos abolished the agencies in line with his policy of government "rightsizing."

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“The PCS will be assisted by a senior deputy chief of staff with the rank of secretary and two deputy chiefs of staff with rank of undersecretary, assistant secretaries and such number of directorial and other administrative staff as he deems necessary and upon the approval of the President,” based on the order.

The order also directed the PMS and the Office of the Press Secretary to help with the transition of the new Palace office.

WHAT WAS ITS FUNCTIONS BEFORE IT WAS ABOLISHED?

The Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff was abolished by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2008.

Before she abolished the post, the Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff held the schedule of the President in coordination with the Cabinet officer for presidential engagements, as well as supervise the President's activities and engagements.

The chief of staff post also "controlled access to the President," and "provide good, wise, and honest counsel" to the country's top leader, based on AO No. 138, series of 2006.

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Aside from these, the Palace chief of staff reviews the documents intended for the President, advocates for their strategic policies and programs, and builds bridges with "critical stakeholders" that include the Cabinet, judiciary, and lobbyists.

The official also "guard[s] the President’s interests. Protect the President from forces that could destroy the Administration."

It was unclear which of these responsibilities have been retained or changed under the new administration.

Cruz-Angeles said a draft special order seeking additional powers for the post on top of those provided under the administrative order was thumbed down by Marcos.

This was "based on the recommendation of his Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile," she added.

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The Office of the Executive Secretary is currently vacant following the developments, but names have been taken into consideration and is undergoing vetting, according to Malacañang.

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