# Secretary of Social Welfare and Development

The secretary of social welfare and development (Filipino: Kalihim ng Kagalingang Panlipunan at Pagpapaunlad) is the head of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and is a member of the President's Cabinet.
The current secretary is Rex Gatchalian, who assumed office on January 31, 2023.

## List of secretaries of social welfare and development

| # | Name | Term Began | Term Ended | President |
| Minister of Welfare ||||||
| 1 | Gracio Gonzaga | January 21, 1899 | May 7, 1899 | Emilio Aguinaldo |
| Commissioner of Public Welfare ||||||
| 2 | Jose Fabella | November 15, 1921 | November 15, 1935 | Insular Government (American occupation) |
| Secretary of Public Instruction, Health, and Public Welfare ||||||
| 3 | Juan Nolasco | November 15, 1935 | December 24, 1941 | Manuel L. Quezon |
| 4 | Sergio Osmeña | December 24, 1941 | August 1, 1944 | Manuel L. Quezon |
| Secretary of Justice, Labor and Welfare ||||||
| 5 | Honorario Poblador Sr. | August 1, 1944 | December 25, 1944 | Sergio Osmeña |
| Act | Mariano A. Eraña | December 25, 1944 | February 17, 1945 | Sergio Osmeña |
| Secretary of Health and Public Welfare ||||||
| 6 | Juan Salcedo | February 17, 1945 | November 10, 1945 | Sergio Osmeña |
| 7 | Jose Locsin | November 10, 1945 | May 28, 1946 | Sergio Osmeña |
| Secretary of Social Welfare ||||||
| 8 | Asuncion Perez | 1950 | 1953 | Elpidio Quirino |
| 9 | Pacita Madrigal-Warns | 1954 | 1955 | Ramon Magsaysay |
| 10 | Amparo Villamor | 1960 | 1961 | Carlos P. Garcia |
| 11 | Tecla San Andres Ziga | 1962 | 1963 | Diosdado Macapagal |
| 12 | Jose O. Pelayo | 1963 | 1965 | Diosdado Macapagal |
| 13 | Francisco T. Remotigue | 1966 | 1967 | Ferdinand E. Marcos |
| 14 | Gregorio Feliciano | 1967 | 1971 | Ferdinand E. Marcos |
| 15 | Estefania Aldaba-Lim | April 11, 1971 | 1976 | Ferdinand E. Marcos |
| Secretary of Social Services and Development ||||||
| (15) | Estefania Aldaba-Lim | 1976 | November 30, 1977 | Ferdinand E. Marcos |
| 16 | Nathaniel Tablante | December 1, 1977 | March 28, 1978 | Ferdinand E. Marcos |
| Minister of Social Services and Development ||||||
| 17 | Sylvia P. Montes | March 28, 1978 | February 25, 1986 | Ferdinand E. Marcos |
| Secretary of Social Welfare and Development ||||||
| 18 | Mita Pardo de Tavera | February 25, 1986 | June 30, 1992 | Corazon C. Aquino |
| 19 | Corazon Alma de Leon | June 30, 1992 | June 30, 1995 | Fidel V. Ramos |
| 20 | Lina B. Laigo | June 30, 1995 | June 30, 1998 | Fidel V. Ramos |
| 21 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | June 30, 1998 | October 12, 2000 | Joseph Ejercito Estrada |
| 22 | Dulce Saguisag | October 12, 2000 | January 19, 2001 | Joseph Ejercito Estrada |
| 23 | Corazon Soliman | January 20, 2001 | July 8, 2005 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| Act | Luwalhati Pablo | July 8, 2005 | July 20, 2005 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| 24 | Esperanza Cabral | July 21, 2005 | August 31, 2009 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| 25 | Celia Yangco | September 1, 2009 | June 30, 2010 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| (23) | Corazon Soliman | June 30, 2010 | June 30, 2016 | Benigno S. Aquino III |
| Ad Int | Judy Taguiwalo | June 30, 2016 | August 16, 2017 | Rodrigo Duterte |
| OIC | Emmanuel Leyco | August 19, 2017 | May 9, 2018 | Rodrigo Duterte |
| Act | Virginia Orogo | May 10, 2018 | October 16, 2018 | Rodrigo Duterte |
| 26 | Lt. Gen. Rolando Joselito Bautista, AFP (Ret.) | October 17, 2018 | June 30, 2022 | Rodrigo Duterte |
| 27 | Erwin Tulfo | June 30, 2022 (reappointed October 4, 2022) | December 27, 2022 | Bongbong Marcos |
| Act | Eduardo Punay (OIC) | December 27, 2022 | January 31, 2023 | Bongbong Marcos |
| 28 | Rex Gatchalian | January 31, 2023 | Incumbent | Bongbong Marcos |
* $^A$ in concurrent capacity as Vice President