THE Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) said on Friday, September 8, 2023, that the “termination of appointment” of Department of Finance Undersecretary Cielo Magno was due to her clear lack of support for the administration and its programs for nation-building.
In a statement, the OES said instead of helping the government address concerns by working together with her colleagues, Magno did it through public fora.
"While we support anyone's right to free speech, it would be counterintuitive to have someone be part of the administration who was clearly set on maligning it to begin with. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors moving forward," the OES said.
The OES noted that even before President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. took office, Magno had openly expressed her unsupportive stance toward the administration's policies on her social media posts.
Magno, the head of the DOF’s Fiscal Policy and Monitoring Group, earlier said that she submitted her resignation effective September 16.
Reports suggested that her resignation was prompted by her opposition to the mandatory price cap on rice.
Following Malacañang's announcement of a price ceiling, Magno posted a graph on her Facebook account illustrating the basic economic concept of supply and demand, which explains how commodity prices are influenced by supply and consumer demand.
Magno was an associate professor at the University of the Philippines School of Economics before her appointment to the DOF.
In a letter posted by Magno on her Facebook account, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin informed DOF Secretary Benjamin Diokno about the 'expiration of tenure' of Magno, which “shall take effect immediately.|
“May nanalo na po. Hindi po sya resignation or termination. Expiration po pala ang tamang term… Officially received the document this morning,” said Magno.
(Someone has won. It's not a resignation or termination. It seems “expiration” is the correct term... Officially received the document this morning.)
“Maraming salamat po. It was an honor serving the country. Makakatulog po ako ng mahimbing knowing that I did my best serving our country and advocating the interest of our people. Lagi lagi para sa bayan…Honor and excellence,” she added.
(Thank you very much. It was an honor serving the country. I will be able to sleep soundly knowing that I did my best in serving our country and advocating for the interests of our people. Always for the nation... Honor and excellence.) (SunStar Philippines)