Customs chief Rubio submits courtesy resignation

Bureau of Customs chief  Bienvenido Y. Rubio. Screenshot from Youtube/Bureau of Customs 

MANILA – Following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s order for the courtesy resignation of all his Cabinet secretaries, Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said Friday he has officially resigned from post.

In a statement, the Bureau of Customs chief said this is to give Marcos Jr. "a free hand" to evaluate the performance of agency leaders and to improve the government's service.

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"Ito po ay pagtugon sa panawagan ng Pangulo ng Pilipinas na muling iayon ang ating pamahalaan sa kung ano ang nararapat para sa taumbayan," Rubio said.

"Ang makapagsilbi po sa sambayanang Pilipino ay isa sa pinakamalaking karangalang ipinagkaloob sa akin," he stated.

He said he still has "full support" for Marcos Jr's national policies and reforms.

The president has chosen Rubio in February 2023 to replace Yogi Filemon L. Ruiz who was named acting BOC commissioner in July 2022.

In response to the Palace's "bold reset" command, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Education Secretary Sonny Angara, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Tourism Secretary Maria Esperanza Christina Frasco, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, National Bureau of Investigation chief Jaime Santiago and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año were among those who submitted their courtesy resignation, among others.

But Bersamin announced afterwards that he would remain in position as Marcos Jr. declined his resignation.

He also said that the president has decided to retain the following economic Cabinet secretaries:

- DTI Sec. Maria Christina Roque

- DOF Sec. Ralph Recto

- DepDev Sec. Arsenio Balisacan

- DBM Sec. Amenah Pangandaman

- Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Sec. Frederick Go

Roque has thanked the President for retaining her services.  

"I extend my deepest gratitude to His Excellency... for his continued trust and for empowering me to further contribute to our country's progress," she said.

Meanwhile, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) Chairperson Lala Sotto-Antonio also tendered her courtesy resignation on Friday evening through Bersamin.

“It has been a profound honor to serve in your administration and to lead the MTRCB in fulfilling its mandate of guiding and safeguarding the content consumed by the Filipino public,” said Sotto-Antonio in a letter to the Office of the President.

“I remain grateful for the opportunity to contribute to nation-building through this agency and for the trust you have placed in me during my tenure," she added.

She was appointed by Marcos Jr. in July 2022.

National Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago joined the list of resigned department heads on the same night.

In a letter to Marcos Jr., he said he will begin the turnover process upon the president's acceptance.

"It has been an honor to be part of your government, Mr. President. I will continue to serve the Filipino people alongside you towards a Bagong Pilipinas," Santiago wrote.

Retired judge Santiago was appointed as NBI chief in June 2024.

The Presidential Communications Office explained earlier that the "bold reset" of the Cabinet eyes to give Marcos Jr. a chance to assess the performance of each department and determine which officials "will continue to serve in line with his administration's recalibrated priorities".