The Executive Secretary of the Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

 (formerly known as the Secretary to the President or Chief of the Executive Office) is the head and highest ranking official serving in Cabinet of the Philippines

Cabinet of the Philippines

The Cabinet of the Philippines consists of the heads of the largest part of the executive branch of the national government of the Philippines...

 and the head of the Office of the President of the Philippines

President of the Philippines

The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...

. The office-holder has been nicknamed as the "Little President" due to the nature of the position. The office was established on January 30, 1936, with Jorge B. Vargas

Jorge B. Vargas

Jorge B. Vargas was a lawyer and youth advocate born in Bago City, Negros Occidental, Philippines. He graduated valedictorian from Negros Occidental High School in 1909 and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1911 and a Bachelor of Law degree with honors in 1914, both from the University of the...

 as the inaugural holder.

The current Executive Secretary is Paquito Ochoa, Jr.

Paquito Ochoa, Jr.

Paquito "Jojo" Ochoa, Jr. is the current Philippine Executive Secretary under the Administration of President Benigno Aquino III. He has been the city administrator of Quezon City from 2001 to 2010.-Early life:...

, serving in this position since June 30, 2010, when President Benigno S. Aquino III

Benigno Aquino III

Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III , also known as Noynoy Aquino or PNoy, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th and current President of the Philippines since June 2010....

 was inaugurated.

Powers and duties

In Book III, Chapter 9, Section 27 of Executive Order No. 292, the Administrative Code of the Philippines, the role of the Executive Secretary was defined as:

The Executive Secretary possesses much power since the holder of the office is the alter-ego of the President of the Philippines, the chief executive. The Executive Secretary can issue orders in the name of the President, can review and modify decisions of other cabinet secretaries on appeal and can perform numerous other functions as allowed or delegated by the chief executive.

List of Executive Secretaries

Name	Term started	Term ended	President
Commonwealth of the Philippines
Jorge Vargas Jorge B. Vargas Jorge B. Vargas was a lawyer and youth advocate born in Bago City, Negros Occidental, Philippines. He graduated valedictorian from Negros Occidental High School in 1909 and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1911 and a Bachelor of Law degree with honors in 1914, both from the University of the...	1936	1941	Manuel Quezon
Manuel Roxas Manuel Roxas Manuel Acuña Roxas was the first president of the independent Third Republic of the Philippines and fifth president overall. He served as president from the granting of independence in 1946 until his abrupt death in 1948...	1941	1942	Manuel Quezon
World War II
Commonwealth of the Philippines (restored)
Arturo Rotor	1944	1945	Sergio Osmeña Sergio Osmeña Sergio Osmeña y Suico was a Filipino politician who served as the 4th President of the Philippines from 1944 to 1946. He was Vice President under Manuel L. Quezon, and rose to the presidency upon Quezon's death in 1944, being the oldest Philippine president to hold office at age 65...
Jose S. Reyes	1945	1946	Sergio Osmeña Sergio Osmeña Sergio Osmeña y Suico was a Filipino politician who served as the 4th President of the Philippines from 1944 to 1946. He was Vice President under Manuel L. Quezon, and rose to the presidency upon Quezon's death in 1944, being the oldest Philippine president to hold office at age 65...
Emilio Abello	May 1946	July 4, 1946	Manuel Roxas Manuel Roxas Manuel Acuña Roxas was the first president of the independent Third Republic of the Philippines and fifth president overall. He served as president from the granting of independence in 1946 until his abrupt death in 1948...
Third Republic of the Philippines
Emilio Abello	July 4, 1946	1948	Manuel Roxas Manuel Roxas Manuel Acuña Roxas was the first president of the independent Third Republic of the Philippines and fifth president overall. He served as president from the granting of independence in 1946 until his abrupt death in 1948... Elpidio Quirino Elpidio Quirino Elpidio Rivera Quirino was a Filipino politician, and the sixth President of the Philippines.A lawyer by profession, Quirino entered politics when he became a representative of Ilocos Sur from 1919 to 1925. He was then elected as senator from 1925–1931...
Teodoro Evangelista			Elpidio Quirino Elpidio Quirino Elpidio Rivera Quirino was a Filipino politician, and the sixth President of the Philippines.A lawyer by profession, Quirino entered politics when he became a representative of Ilocos Sur from 1919 to 1925. He was then elected as senator from 1925–1931...
Rafael M. Salas Rafael M. Salas Rafael M. Salas , was the first head of the United Nations Population Fund from its inception in 1969 up to his death in 1987 . Salas is an alumnus of the University of the Philippines...	1966	1969	Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
Alejandro Melchor			Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
Fifth Republic of the Philippines
Joker Arroyo Joker Arroyo Joker Paz Arroyo is a Filipino lawyer, politician and Senator of the Republic of the Philippines. He has no direct relation with former Presidential spouse Jose Miguel Arroyo.-Early life and career:...	March 25, 1986	September 14, 1987	Corazon Aquino Corazon Aquino Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
Catalino Macaraig, Jr.	September 17, 1987	December 14, 1990	Corazon Aquino Corazon Aquino Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
Oscar Orbos Oscar Orbos Oscar M. Orbos, popularly known as Ka Oca, is a Philippine TV personality and host of GMA Network's Debate with Mare at Pare.Orbos was a former cabinet secretary, provincial governor, and vice presidential candidate...	December 29, 1990	July 1991	Corazon Aquino Corazon Aquino Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
Franklin Drilon Franklin Drilon Franklin Magtunao Drilon is a Filipino politician who served as President of the Senate of the Philippines in 2000 and from 2001 to 2006. Drilon currently serves his third term in the Senate...	1991	June 30, 1992	Corazon Aquino Corazon Aquino Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
Teofisto Guingona, Jr. Teofisto Guingona, Jr. Teofisto Tayko Guingona, Jr. was the Vice President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2004 during the first term of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.-Early Life and Career:...	June 1993	May 20, 1995	Fidel Ramos
Edilmero Amante	1995	1995	Fidel Ramos
Reuben Torres	1995	1997	Fidel Ramos
Alexander Aguirre	1997	1998	Fidel Ramos
Ronaldo Zamora	June 30, 1998	January 6, 2001	Joseph Estrada Joseph Estrada Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
Edgardo Angara Edgardo Angara Edgardo Javier Angara is a Filipino politician who served as President of the Senate of the Philippines from 1993-1995. He is currently serving his fourth term in the Senate which ends in 2013.-Early life and career:...	January 6, 2001	January 20, 2001	Joseph Estrada Joseph Estrada Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
Renato de Villa Renato de Villa Renato "Rene" de Villa is a political figure in the Philippines and founder of the rightist political party Partido ng Demokratikong Reporma-Lapiang Manggagawa.-Biography:...	January 20, 2001	2002	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
Alberto Romulo Alberto Romulo Alberto Gatmaitan Rómulo is a politician in the Philippines. He served as Foreign Secretary before and during the beginning of the administration of President Benigno Aquino III....	2002	August 23, 2004	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
Eduardo Ermita Eduardo Ermita Eduardo R. Ermita, was the Executive Secretary of the Philippines, and spokesperson for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was born on July 13, 1935 in Balayan, Batangas. Ermita took his Defense Resource Management Course at Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, California, U.S.A...	August 24, 2004	February 23, 2010	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
Leandro Mendoza Leandro Mendoza Leandro Ramos Mendoza, was the Philippine Executive Secretary, was born on March 24, 1946 in San Juan, Batangas.He finished his Bachelor of Science degree at the Philippine Military Academy; his Master of Arts in Public Management at the University of the Philippines - Visayas, Cebu City; and...	February 23, 2010	June 30, 2010	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
Paquito Ochoa, Jr. Paquito Ochoa, Jr. Paquito "Jojo" Ochoa, Jr. is the current Philippine Executive Secretary under the Administration of President Benigno Aquino III. He has been the city administrator of Quezon City from 2001 to 2010.-Early life:...	June 30, 2010	Present	Benigno Aquino III Benigno Aquino III Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III , also known as Noynoy Aquino or PNoy, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th and current President of the Philippines since June 2010....