Malacañang on Monday said President Ferdinand “Bongbong“ Marcos Jr. continues to trust Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa and Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, dismissing online claims of “public dissatisfaction” as mere speculation.
During a press conference, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said there are no discussions within the administration about replacing either Cabinet secretary, despite what she described as “online noise” circulating on social media.
“Ang dalawa pong [Cabinet secretaries] ay nag-e-enjoy pa rin po ng pagtitiwala ng Pangulo,” Castro said.
The communication undersecretary emphasized that basing assessments on social media sentiment alone would be misleading, noting that the supposed dissatisfaction exists largely online and has not translated into any formal action or internal review.
“Wala pong anumang pag-uusap patungkol po sa mga sinasabing mga dissatisfaction na binabanggit po sa social media, sa online. At 'yan lamang po ay puro spekulasyon,” she added.
The Palace reiterated that Marcos has instead instructed all members of his Cabinet to focus on improving their performance, steer clear of corruption, and continue serving the Filipino people.
“Hindi lamang po sa kanila, sa lahat po ng Cabinet. Pagbutihin ang trabaho, umiwas sa isyu ng corruption, at pagandihin nila ang interes ng bawat Pilipino sa ating bansa,“ she added.
Frasco has drawn criticism online over perceived self-promotion and questions surrounding the priorities of the government’s tourism campaigns. She has faced repeated scrutiny in recent years over the DOT’s branding efforts and messaging, including the now-scrapped “Love the Philippines” tourism campaign launched in 2023.
Despite this, Malacañang last month dismissed renewed speculation of an impending leadership change at the DOT, reiterating that Frasco continues to enjoy the full trust and confidence of Marcos.
Meanwhile, Herbosa has also been the subject of social media scrutiny, largely linked to broader public concerns over the country’s health care system. Addressing rumors of a possible Cabinet reshuffle, Herbosa earlier denied reports that Marcos is considering his replacement.
