On March 20, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. appointed Henry Rhoel Aguda as the new Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) secretary, following the resignation of Ivan John Uy in early March. Prior to this appointment, Secretary Aguda served as the Digital Infrastructure Lead at the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC), a council tasked to assist the administration in fostering innovative synergies between the private and public sectors. In this role, Aguda proactively advocated for the resilience and security of the country’s digital landscape, recommending the passage of cybersecurity related legislation. Aguda brings extensive executive experience in banking, technology, and telecommunications, specializing in digital transformation, digital banking, and combating financial crimes. The administration expressed confidence in Aguda’s ability to lead the department in modernizing the country’s technological infrastructure. A network of digital advocates has called on the newly appointed Secretary to prioritize data breach management and digital infrastructure, citing a report that the Philippines could sustain up USD 3.5 billion in economic losses per year because of cybercrimes.
Since 2024, President Marcos has replaced a total of 7 cabinet secretaries from the following key government agencies: Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Transportation (DOTr), and the DICT. In late February, amid circulating rumors of a revamp, the administration explained that the President is evaluating his Cabinet. These replacements suggest a period of strategic reassessment within the Marcos administration. Given the critical nature of these departments—ranging from finance and trade to education and transportation—such changes may indicate an effort to ensure loyalty and realign leadership with evolving policy priorities.
