# Executive Secretary (Philippines)

The Office of the Executive Secretary of the Philippines (formerly the Executive Office) is the head and highest-ranking official of the Office of the President of the Philippines and a member of the Cabinet of the Philippines. The office-holder has been nicknamed as the "Little President" due to the nature of the position. It was given the mandate "to directly assist the President in the management of affairs of the government as well as to direct the operations of the Executive Office." It is headed by the Executive Secretary in which appointed by the President upon confirmation by the Commission on Appointments.
The office was established on October 12, 1936, with Jorge B. Vargas as the inaugural holder.
The incumbent Executive Secretary is retired Chief Justice and GSIS Chairman Lucas Bersamin, who was appointed to the post on September 27, 2022, days after the resignation of his predecessor Vic Rodriguez.

## Powers and duties

In Book III, Chapter 9, Section 27 of Executive Order No. 292, the Administrative Code of the Philippines, the role of the Executive Secretary was defined as:
   Sec. 27. Functions of the Executive Secretary. - The Executive Secretary shall, subject to the control and supervision of the President, carry out the functions assigned by law to the Executive Office and shall perform such other duties as may be delegated to him. He shall:
   * Directly assist the President in the management of the affairs pertaining to the Government of the Republic of the Philippines;
   * Implement presidential directives, orders and decisions;
   * Decide, for and in behalf of the President, matters not requiring personal presidential attention;
   * Exercise supervision and control over the various units in the Office of the President Proper including their internal administrative requirements;
   * Exercise supervision, in behalf of the President, over the various agencies under the Office of the President;
   * Appoint officials and employees of the Office of the President whose appointments are not vested in the President;
   * Provide overall coordination in the operation of the Executive Office;
   * Determine and assign matters to the appropriate units in the Office of the President;
   * Have administrative responsibility for matters in the Office of the President coming from the various departments and agencies of government;
   * Exercise primary authority to sign papers "By authority of the President", attest executive orders and other presidential issuances unless attestation is specifically delegated to other officials by him or by the President;
   * Determine, with the President's approval, the appropriate assignment of offices and agencies not placed by law under any specific executive department;
   * Provide consultative, research, fact-finding and advisory service to the President;
   * Assist the President in the performance of functions pertaining to legislation;
   * Assist the President in the administration of special projects;
   * Take charge of matters pertaining to protocol in State and ceremonial functions;
   * Provide secretarial and clerical services for the President, the Cabinet, the Council of State, and other advisory bodies to the President
   * Promulgate such rules and regulations necessary to carry out the objectives, policies and functions of the Office of the President Proper;
   * Perform such other functions as the President may direct.
The Executive Secretary possesses so much power since the holder of the office is the chief alter-ego of the President of the Philippines, the Chief Executive. The Executive Secretary can issue orders in the name of the President, can review and modify decisions of other cabinet secretaries on appeal and can perform numerous other functions as allowed or delegated by the Chief Executive. The Executive Secretary, can also be the top coordinator of the activities of the Executive Branch of the government, if necessary.

## List of Executive Secretaries

| # | Image | Name | Term started | Term ended | President | Era |
| Secretaries to the President | Secretaries to the President | Secretaries to the President | Secretaries to the President | Secretaries to the President | Secretaries to the President | Commonwealth (in exile) |
| 1 | | Jorge Vargas | October 12, 1936 | December 11, 1941 | Manuel L. Quezon | Commonwealth (in exile) |
| 2 | | Manuel Roxas | December 24, 1941 | March 26, 1942 | Manuel L. Quezon | Commonwealth (in exile) |
| 3 | | Arturo Rotor | June 13, 1942 | November 30, 1944 | Manuel L. Quezon | Commonwealth (in exile) |
| Executive Secretaries | Executive Secretaries | Executive Secretaries | Executive Secretaries | Executive Secretaries | Executive Secretaries | Second Republic |
| 4 | | Jose Gil | October 14, 1943 | August 30, 1944 | Jose P. Laurel | Second Republic |
| 5 | | Emilio Abello | August 31, 1944 | February 27, 1945 | Jose P. Laurel | Second Republic |
| Secretaries to the President | Secretaries to the President | Secretaries to the President | Secretaries to the President | Secretaries to the President | Secretaries to the President | Commonwealth (restored) |
| 6 | | Jose S. Reyes | February 27, 1945 | May 24, 1946 | Sergio Osmeña | Commonwealth (restored) |
| 7 | | Emilio Abello | May 30, 1946 | July 4, 1946 | Manuel Roxas | Commonwealth (restored) |
| Chiefs of the Executive Office | Chiefs of the Executive Office | Chiefs of the Executive Office | Chiefs of the Executive Office | Chiefs of the Executive Office | Chiefs of the Executive Office | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| (7) | | Emilio Abello | July 4, 1946 | September 3, 1947 | Manuel Roxas | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 8 | | Nicanor Roxas | September 10, 1947 | October 3, 1947 | Manuel Roxas | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| Third Republic/Fourth Republic ||||||
| Act | | Nicanor Roxas | October 4, 1947 | February 6, 1948 | Manuel Roxas | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 9 | | Emilio Abello | February 26, 1948 | April 17, 1948 | Manuel Roxas | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 9 | | Emilio Abello | April 17, 1948 | September 14, 1948 | Elpidio Quirino | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 10 | | Teodoro Evangelista | September 16, 1948 | May 8, 1951 | Elpidio Quirino | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 11 | | Marciano Roque | February 2, 1952 | December 29, 1953 | Elpidio Quirino | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 12 | | Fred Ruiz Castro | December 30, 1953 | October 26, 1955 | Ramon Magsaysay | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 13 | | Fortunato de Leon | April 12, 1956 | March 17, 1957 | Ramon Magsaysay | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 13 | | Fortunato de Leon | March 17, 1957 | December 30, 1957 | Carlos P. Garcia | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 14 | | Juan Pajo | January 16, 1958 | August 28, 1959 | Carlos P. Garcia | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 15 | | Natalio Castillo | January 24, 1960 | September 5, 1961 | Carlos P. Garcia | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 16 | | Rafael M. Salas | January 1, 1966 | July 24, 1969 | Ferdinand Marcos | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 17 | | Ernesto Maceda | July 26, 1969 | February 7, 1970 | Ferdinand Marcos | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 18 | | Alejandro Melchor Jr. | February 9, 1970 | November 4, 1974 | Ferdinand Marcos | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 19 | | Ponciano Mathay | November 7, 1974 | December 7, 1975 | Ferdinand Marcos | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| Third Republic/Fourth Republic ||||||
| 20 | | Jacobo Clave | December 8, 1975 | December 23, 1979 | Ferdinand Marcos | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 21 | | Juan Tuvera | December 30, 1979 | February 22, 1986 | Ferdinand Marcos | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| 22 | | Joker Arroyo | February 25, 1986 | March 25, 1986 | Corazon Aquino | Third Republic/Fourth Republic |
| Executive Secretaries | Executive Secretaries | Executive Secretaries | Executive Secretaries | Executive Secretaries | Executive Secretaries | Fifth Republic |
| (22) | | Joker Arroyo | March 25, 1986 | September 15, 1987 | Corazon Aquino | Fifth Republic |
| 23 | | Catalino Macaraig Jr. | September 17, 1987 | December 14, 1990 | Corazon Aquino | Fifth Republic |
| 24 | | Oscar Orbos | December 16, 1990 | July 14, 1991 | Corazon Aquino | Fifth Republic |
| 25 | | Franklin Drilon | July 15, 1991 | June 30, 1992 | Corazon Aquino | Fifth Republic |
| Act. | | Peter D. Garrucho Jr. | July 1, 1992 | September 13, 1992 | Fidel V. Ramos | Fifth Republic |
| 26 | | Edelmiro Amante | September 14, 1992 | June 30, 1993 | Fidel V. Ramos | Fifth Republic |
| 27 | | Teofisto Guingona Jr. | July 6, 1993 | May 19, 1995 | Fidel V. Ramos | Fifth Republic |
| 28 | | Ruben Torres | May 20, 1995 | January 8, 1998 | Fidel V. Ramos | Fifth Republic |
| 29 | | Alexander Aguirre | January 9, 1998 | June 30, 1998 | Fidel V. Ramos | Fifth Republic |
| 30 | | Ronaldo Zamora | July 1, 1998 | December 31, 2000 | Joseph Ejercito Estrada | Fifth Republic |
| 31 | | Edgardo Angara | January 6, 2001 | January 21, 2001 | Joseph Ejercito Estrada | Fifth Republic |
| 32 | | Renato de Villa | January 22, 2001 | May 7, 2001 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | Fifth Republic |
| 33 | | Alberto Romulo | May 8, 2001 | August 24, 2004 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | Fifth Republic |
| 34 | | Eduardo Ermita | August 24, 2004 | February 23, 2010 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | Fifth Republic |
| 35 | | Leandro Mendoza | February 24, 2010 | June 30, 2010 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | Fifth Republic |
| 36 | | Paquito Ochoa Jr. | June 30, 2010 | June 30, 2016 | Benigno Aquino III | Fifth Republic |
| 37 | | Salvador Medialdea | June 30, 2016 | June 30, 2022 | Rodrigo Duterte | Fifth Republic |
| 38 | | Victor D. Rodriguez | June 30, 2022 | September 17, 2022 | Bongbong Marcos | Fifth Republic |
| 39 | | Lucas Bersamin | September 27, 2022 | present | Bongbong Marcos | Fifth Republic |