THE CABINET SHOULD HAVE A PERFORMANCE MONITORING SYSTEM

THE CABINET SHOULD HAVE A PERFORMANCE MONITORING SYSTEM

Reports from Malacañang indicate that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is continuing with the process of revamping his Cabinet. While these actions may be seen as a bold political maneuver or a form of executive recalibration, it inadvertently reveals a troubling truth: the absence of a functioning Cabinet Performance Monitoring System (CPMS) within the current administration.

At nearly the halfway mark of PBBM’s six-year term, the lack of a systematic method to track Cabinet performance is deeply concerning. Governance, like any complex organization, demands accountability, measurable outputs, and timely evaluations. In the private sector, performance reviews are standard practice. In government, where public trust and national progress hang in the balance, they are even more critical. Asking for resignations as a proxy for performance evaluation suggests a reactive, rather than proactive, approach to leadership.

The question must then be asked: who is responsible for this glaring institutional gap?

First, the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) must be considered. As the President’s right hand and chief implementer of presidential directives, the OES is tasked with coordinating among Cabinet members and ensuring that executive initiatives are carried out efficiently. If Cabinet coordination and policy implementation have slowed or drifted, part of the accountability must lie there.

Second, there’s the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), whose mandate is to assist the President in managing the operations of the executive branch. As the internal think tank and performance review unit of the Office of the President, the PMS should be running metrics, dashboards, and real-time feedback systems to alert the President of bottlenecks and progress. If such tools are missing or underutilized, that’s a failure of both policy and execution.

Third is the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), which plays a vital role in linking budgetary allocations to deliverables. It holds the power of the purse and should ideally ensure that projects are not only funded but also implemented as planned. Performance-based budgeting was once a central goal of budget reform—where did that initiative go?

Let us also not forget the Commission on Audit (COA). Although its role is independent and focused primarily on legal compliance and financial propriety, its audit reports can serve as rich sources of performance data. Delays, fund misuse, or underspending are red flags that could—and should—feed into a broader performance monitoring framework.

This situation reveals a deeper problem in our governance culture: a lack of institutionalized, data-driven management in the highest levels of the executive branch. It's not enough to base Cabinet reshuffles on perceived loyalty or political expediency. Appointments and dismissals should be grounded in measurable outcomes, timelines met, goals achieved, and impact made.

Moving forward, the President would be better served by establishing a transparent, metrics-based Cabinet performance monitoring system. Such a system would not only empower him to make more informed decisions but also ensure that public officials stay focused on delivering real results—not just headlines.

Only through clear targets, regular assessments, and strong coordination can we ensure a Cabinet that works, performs, and delivers for the Filipino people.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

06-19-2025

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