Gov’t officials still ‘on probation’

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., on Monday said the entire Philippine bureaucracy remains “on probation” as he continues to evaluate each official following a “bold reset” call last month to overhaul his cabinet members.

In a video posted across his social media pages, the President said he does not like the government’s long-standing habit of “business as usual,” which he blamed for the country’s chronic underperformance across sectors.

“From now on, we will be very conscientious of hitting our targets on time, and that’s the important thing,” he told News5 at One PH anchor Cheryl Cosim in an interview, noting this does not just apply to “very big, legacy projects” but small things as well.

The president said his administration is now conducting a continuous performance review of agencies and officials, clarifying earlier remarks he made about a sweeping “bold reset” in government.

He said the shake-ups have already led to numerous replacements in lower ranks, although these have not been publicly announced. He emphasized that officials who do not deliver would be removed or reassigned, regardless of personal relationships.

This came a month after he publicly called for a “bold reset” of his administration, signaling dissatisfaction with the pace and quality of government service delivery halfway through his six-year term. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana