DFA chief Manalo to attend ASEAN despite courtesy resignation, sources say
"Secretary Manalo will proceed and continue to assist the President in the forthcoming ASEAN Meetings," said another official, who asked not to be named due to lack of authority to speak on the issue.
Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo will attend the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this week despite submitting his courtesy resignation, DFA sources said Thursday.
A senior DFA official told GMA News Online that all cabinet secretaries, including Manalo, are expected to continue to serve in their current posts "until resignations are accepted."
"Secretary Manalo will proceed and continue to assist the President in the forthcoming ASEAN Meetings," said another official, who asked not to be named due to lack of authority to speak on the issue.
The ministerial meeting will take place in May 25, while the summit in Kuala Lumpur, where Marcos and other Southeast Asian leaders would meet to tackle key regional security issues and challenges, will be held from May 26 to 27. Malaysia is this year's ASEAN Chairman.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. asked all of his Cabinet secretaries to submit resignations on Thursday to "recalibrate" his administration following last week's mid-term elections, which saw more opposition candidates securing crucial seats in the Senate.
Uncertainties surrounding the DFA leadership, a key cabinet post, would present a dilemma for Marcos and is expected to raise concerns that these could somehow affect Philippine preparations and hosting of the ASEAN summits in 2026, the sources added.
A seasoned career diplomat, Manalo was appointed by Marcos as the country's top diplomat on July 1, 2022, replacing Teodoro Locsin Jr.
He became acting Foreign Secretary from March 9 to May 17, 2017 after Perfecto Yasay failed to get the confirmation of the bicameral Commission on Appointments as DFA Secretary.
Manalo, who retired from Foreign Service in 2018, served as Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York under former President Rodrigo Duterte from 2020 to June 30, 2022. –NB, GMA Integrated News
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