FAST FACTS: The Marcos Cabinet

Michael Bueza

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

(2nd UPDATE) After the ouster of Marcos via People Power in 1986, some of his Cabinet officials remained in the political scene, while others started or continued their business careers. 22 Cabinet members are still alive

MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) – On Sept 21, 1972 – 41 years ago – former president Ferdinand Marcos appeared on national television and announced, “I signed Proclamation No. 1081 placing the entire Philippines under Martial Law.”

His declaration caused enough fear and uncertainty.

A few days later, the vice presidency and both houses of Congress were abolished in favor of a one-man rule by Marcos. He, however, retained his Cabinet, consisting of the men and women who would assist the dictator in his plans for a “New Society.”

In 1978, with the shift to a parliamentary system, all Cabinet departments became ministries, as part of the newly-christened Interim Batasang Pambansa (IBP), a unicameral Congress. (It became the Regular Batasang Pambansa in 1984.)

Some elected assemblymen were named ministers, while others were appointed by Marcos himself.

From the start of his term in 1965 up to his ouster in 1986 through a People Power uprising, Marcos worked with 77 Cabinet secretaries and ministers. After People Power, some of these officials remained in the political scene, while others started or continued their business careers.

Here are some other facts about the Cabinet members of Marcos.

20

number of years Ferdinand Marcos was President (December 1965 to February 1986)

77

Cabinet secretaries and ministers

34

total number of Cabinet departments/ministries (counting re-organized ones)

 

3 – number of women appointed to the Cabinet by Marcos

Estefania Aldaba-Lim
Secretary, Social Services
Imelda Marcos
Minister, Human Settlements
Sylvia Montes
Minister, Social Services
and Development

 

President Marcos held a Cabinet post himself, in concurrent capacity:
as Defense Secretary (1965-67 and 1971-72)

 

Longest-serving Cabinet members under Marcos

Juan Ponce Enrile
20 years
3 Cabinet portfolios:
Finance, Justice and
National Defense
Carlos P. Romulo
18 years
2 Cabinet portfolios:
Education and Foreign
Affairs
Blas Ople
18 years
1 Cabinet portfolio:
Labor
Cesar Virata
16 years
1 Cabinet portfolio:
Finance

 

22 – Marcos Cabinet members who are still alive (as of this posting)

 
(L-R) David Consunji, Simeon Datumanong, Rodolfo del Rosario and Juan Ponce Enrile
 
(L-R) Rene Espina, Emil Q. Javier and Jaime Laya
 
(L-R) Ernesto Maceda, Placido Mapa Jr, Imelda Marcos and Estelito Mendoza
 
(L-R) Roberto Ongpin, Vicente Paterno, Teodoro Peña and Ricardo Puno
 
(L-R) Gerardo Sicat, Francisco Tatad, Luis Villafuerte Sr and Cesar Virata
Not pictured: Manuel Alba, Emilio Espinosa Jr, and Vicente Valdepeñas Jr

 

6 – elected to the Senate
after 1986

Top row, L-R
  • Francisco Tatad
    (1992-2001) 
  • Vicente Paterno
    (1987-92) 
  • Arturo Tolentino 
    (1992-95)
Bottom row, L-R
  • Blas Ople (1992-2002) 
  • Juan Ponce Enrile
    (1987-92, 1995-2001, 2004-16)
  • Ernesto Maceda (1992-98)

 

10 – elected to the House of Representatives after 1986

Top row, L-R
  • Imelda Marcos – 2010-present
    Ilocos Norte, 2nd district
    1995-98 – Leyte, 1st district 
  • Leonardo Perez – 1992-95
    Nueva Vizcaya, lone district
  • Jose Roño, Jr – 1987-92
    Samar, 1st district
  • Luis Villafuerte, Sr. – 2004-13
    Camarines Sur, 3rd district
  • (not pictured) Emilio Espinosa, Jr. –
    1998-2007, Masbate, 2nd district 
Bottom row, L-R
  • Jose Aspiras – 1987-98
    La Union, 2nd district 
  • Simeon Datumanong – 1992-2001, 2004-13
    Maguindanao, 2nd district 
  • Rodolfo del Rosario – 1987-98
    Davao del Norte, 3rd district (now Compostella Valley) 
  • Juan Ponce Enrile – 1992-95
    Cagayan, 1st district 
  • Salvador Escudero III – 1987-96, 2007-12
    Sorsogon, 1st district
 

 

6 – reappointed to the Cabinet after 1986

 
Top row, L-R
  • Simeon Datumanong (DPWH and DOJ), by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
  • Salvador Escudero III
    (DA), by Fidel Ramos
  • Catalino Macaraig, Jr. (Executive Secretary), by Corazon Aquino
Bottom row, L-R
  • Blas Ople (DFA), by
    Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
  • Juan Ponce Enrile (DND), by Corazon Aquino
  • Ernesto Maceda (DENR),
    by Corazon Aquino

 

3 – elected as governors after 1986

  • Rodolfo del Rosario
    (Davao del Norte)
  • Jose Roño, Jr. (Samar)
  • Luis Villafuerte, Sr.
    (Camarines Sur)

 

13 – became or continued as business executives after 1986

  • Manuel Collantes † – United Pulp and Paper Company, Inc.
  • David Consunji – DMCI Holdings, Inc.
  • Catalino Macaraig, Jr. † – Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co.
  • Jaime Laya – GMA Network, Philtrust Bank, Ayala Land, Calata Corp.
  • Fernando Lopez † – ABS-CBN, First Philippine Holdings
  • Placido Mapa, Jr. – Metrobank Foundation
  • Estelito Mendoza – Philippine Airlines, PNB, Petron, Meralco, San Miguel Corp.
  • Roberto Ongpin – Alphaland Corporation
  • Vicente Paterno – Philippine Seven Holdings Corp. (7-Eleven)
  • Teodoro Pena (retired) – RCBC, EEI Corp.
  • Eduardo Romualdez † – Philippine Airlines
  • Cesar E.A. Virata – RCBC
  • Vicente Valdepeñas, Jr. – Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company (Metrobank)

† – deceased

 

The complete list

Department / Ministry / Office Secretary / Minister Term
Executive Secretary (up to 1975)
Presidential Executive Assistant (1975-86)
Rafael Salas 1966-69
Ernesto Maceda 1969-70
Alejandro Melchor, Jr. 1970-74
Ponciano Mathay 1974-75
Jacobo Clave 1975-79
Juan Tuvera 1979-86
Agrarian Reform Conrado Estrella, Sr. 1971-86
Agriculture and Natural Resources (up to 1974)
Agriculture (1974-86)
Fernando Lopez 1965-71
Arturo Tanco, Jr. 1971-84
Salvador Escudero III 1984-86
Budget (1978-81)
Office of Budget and Management (1981- 86)
Jaime Laya 1978-81
Manuel Alba 1981-86
Commerce and Industry (up to 1972)
Tourism and Trade (1972-74)
Marcelo Balatbat 1965-68
Leonides Virata 1969-70
Ernesto Maceda 1970-71
Troadio Quiazon, Jr. 1971-74
Education (up to 1975)
Education and Culture (1975-84)
Education, Culture and Sports (1984-86)
Carlos P. Romulo 1965-67
Onofre Corpuz 1967-71, 1979-84
Juan Manuel 1971-79
Jaime Laya 1984-86
Energy Geronimo Velasco 1978-86
Finance Juan Ponce Enrile (acting) 1965-68
Eduardo Romualdez 1968-70
Cesar Virata 1970-86
Foreign Affairs Narciso Ramos 1965-68
Carlos P. Romulo 1968-84
Manuel Collantes (acting) 1984
Arturo Tolentino 1984-85
Pacifico Castro (acting) 1985-86
Health Paulino Garcia 1965-68
Amadeo Cruz 1968-71
Clemente Gatmaitan 1971-79
Enrique Garcia 1979-81
Jesus Azurin 1981-86
Human Settlements Imelda Marcos 1981-86
Industry Vicente Paterno 1974-79
Roberto Ongpin 1979-81
Justice Jose Yulo 1966-67
Claudio Teehankee, Sr. 1967-68
Juan Ponce Enrile 1968-70
Felix Makasiar 1970
Vicente Abad Santos 1970-79
Catalino Macaraig, Jr. 1979
Ricardo Puno 1979-84
Estelito Mendoza 1984-86
Labor Emilio Espinosa, Jr. 1965-67
Blas Ople 1967-71, 1972-86
Adrian Cristobal 1971-72
Local Government and Community
Development (1972- 82)
Local Government (1982-86)
Jose Roño, Jr. 1972-86
Muslim Affairs Romulo Espaldon 1981-84
Muslim Affairs and Cultural Communities Simeon Datumanong 1984-86
National Defense Ferdinand Marcos 1965-67, 1971-72
Ernesto Mata 1967-70
Juan Ponce Enrile 1970-71, 1972-86
Natural Resources Jose Leido, Jr. 1974-81
Teodoro Peña 1981-84
Rodolfo del Rosario 1984-86
Public Information Francisco Tatad 1969-80
Gregorio Cendaña 1980-86
Public Works, Transportation
and Communications (split into 2 in 1979)
Antonio Raquiza 1966-68
Rene Espina 1968-69
Manuel Syquio 1969-70
David Consunji 1971-75
Alfredo Juinio 1975-79
Public Highways Baltazar Aquino 1975-79
Vicente Paterno 1979-80
Public Works Alfredo Juinio 1979-80
Public Works and Highways Jesus Hipolito 1980-86
Social Welfare (1968-76)
Social Services and Development (1976-86)
Gregorio Feliciano 1968-71
Estefania Aldaba-Lim 1971-77
Nathaniel Tablante 1977-78
Sylvia Montes 1978-86
Tourism Jose Aspiras 1973-86
Trade Troadio Quiazon, Jr. 1975-79
Luis Villafuerte, Sr. 1979-81
Trade and Industry Roberto Ongpin 1981-86
Transportation and Communications Jose Dans, Jr. 1979-86
National Economic Council (up to 1973)
National Economic and Development Authority
(since 1973) 
Alfonso Calalang 1967
Eduardo Romualdez (acting) 1968
Gerardo Sicat 1970-81
Placido Mapa, Jr. 1981-83
Cesar Virata 1983-84
Vicente Valdepeñas, Jr. 1984-86
National Science and Development
Board (up to 1982)
National Science and Technology
Authority (1982-86)
Melecio Magno 1976-81
Emil Javier 1981-86
Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Leonardo Perez 1981-84
Presidential Assistant on National Minorities Manuel Elizalde, Jr. 1978-84
Solicitor-General Antonio Barredo 1966-68
Felix Makasiar 1968-70
Felix Antonio 1970-72
Estelito Mendoza 1972-86

 

Ed’s note: We earlier stated that Hilarion Henares Jr. was part of the Marcos Cabinet as National Economic Council (NEC) chairman. It was, in fact, Alfonso Calalang. Henares was NEC chairman  during the Macapagal administration. We regret the error.

– Rappler.com

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!
Tie, Accessories, Accessory

author

Michael Bueza

Michael is a data curator under Rappler's Tech Team. He works on data about elections, governance, and the budget. He also follows the Philippine pro wrestling scene and the WWE. Michael is also part of the Laffler Talk podcast trio.