Succeeding the inauguration of President Benigno Aquino III, the euphoria of the Filipinos lingered. As a result of a previous unpopular government, people anticipated seeing changes, a fresh start of an efficient and trustworthy regime.
With Aquino’s pragmatic approach, his cabinet is a handsome mix of 26 old and new faces. 12 of his cabinet members were freshly recruited from business and academic sectors. Another 14 were former department secretaries and heads of keys government units, who would help ensure a smooth continuity of government administration. Some of the new cabinet members have cooperated with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in the past.

Among the highly competent members of cabinet is Hon. Florencio B. Abad, Secretary of Budget and Management, campaign manager of the Liberal Party and the former Chairman of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD). “The budget is the enabler of all of our policy decisions. We believe he is the best person at the present time to assist us in judiciously spending the people’s funds to help him and help us,” said President Aquino of Abad.

Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue Kim Jacinto-Henares was the one who had developed a policy paper for the National Institute for Policy Studies (NIPS) on liberal policies for trade and maritime industry. Secretary Ricky Carandang at the presidential Communications Group is a former member of NIPS. NIPS is a long-time project partner of the FNF office in Manila.

Other members from Liberal Party of the Philippines include Secretary of Agriculture, Proceso Alcala, and Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, Jesse Robredo.

See a photo of the new cabinet here.