OPINION | Courtesy Resignation, Accountability Excuse

It was just last year when our politics and governance class revealed something unexpected about me: I lean toward anarchism—a belief system that questions the need for rules or government altogether. Maybe that stance stems from my frustration, my hatred even towards a government that consistently fails to fulfill its basic duties, not just to me but to all Filipino citizens. 

It’s the same kind of failure that pushed President Marcos Jr. to call for the courtesy resignation of all cabinet members—an attempt, supposedly, to address underperformance in implementing his administration’s programs.

Whether that move was genuinely meant to bridge the gap between the president and the public or was simply a calculated political strategy, one thing is certain: Marcos Jr. is just as accountable as his cabinet members. 

Beyond the failure to implement public programs, the timing of the courtesy resignation also coincides with the results of the 2025 midterm elections. This raises the question:Is Marcos Jr. distancing himself from the shortcomings of his administration by indirectly blaming his appointees? If the cabinet members are failing, then isn’t he, the one who appointed them, a failure too?

The courtesy resignation process doesn’t actually guarantee accountability. It requires officials to submit their resignations voluntarily, but the president decides whether to accept, reject, or simply reshuffle them into other positions. So what’s the point? If the goal is transparency and efficiency, Marcos Jr. must publicly identify the departments that failed and hold them to account directly.

As of May 23, 52 officials complied with the directive. Three of those resignations were accepted, while Enrique Manalo (Foreign Secretary), Toni Yulo-Loyzaga (Environment Secretary), and Jerry Acuzar (Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary, with Manalo and Azucar), were appointed to other cabinet positions. 

In his podcast, Marcos Jr. said that the elections told him that the Filipinos were tired of politics and disappointed because the government execution is slow. If the administration truly wants to reconnect with the people, clearing out cabinet officials isn’t enough. It requires leaders to step out of their air-conditioned offices by heading into communities—to listen, to observe, and to act on what’s truly needed. Reforms should come not just from the top, it should originate from the ones being governed through understanding, relating, and seeing their reality.

The reshuffling of officials only highlights the instability within our institutions. This instability disrupts the lives of ordinary citizens. When leadership is uncertain and accountability is blurred, the programs that are meant to uplift the marginalized are delayed and forgotten.  

Accountability doesn't end with resignation letters. It begins when the administration—and its head of state—own their failures and work to improve them together. As long as transparency, real change, and public participation are not upheld, citizens must not grow tired of questioning and resisting the status quo.

At the end of the day, the masses don’t care whether a cabinet member comes from the Marcos or Duterte faction. They don’t care about political posturing or courtesy resignation theatrics. What they care about is whether these officials will make their lives better—whether their rights will finally be upheld, not just promised.

Writer: Alexa Franco

Cartoonist: Jamie Rose Recto