Ralph Recto named new Executive Secretary

Finance Secretary Ralph Recto has been appointed as the new Executive Secretary, succeeding Atty. Lucas Bersamin, and is set to take his oath on Wednesday.

Recto expressed surprise at his appointment but emphasized that his focus will be on enhancing government services, pushing for accountability and justice, and improving governance.

He downplayed the notion of the Executive Secretary being a "little President," stating that the role primarily involves improving governance and speeding up the government's operations.

While he has yet to meet President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in person, they have communicated through a messaging application.

Recto vowed to improve health and education services, including speeding up the construction of school buildings and the hiring and training of teachers.

He also described the Marcos administration as stable, dismissing political noise, and agreed that the President is unaware of the alleged P100-billion insertion in the 2025 national budget.