Secretary of National Defense (Philippines)

Cabinet position in the Philippines

Philippine Secretary of National Defense

Kalihim ng Tanggulang Pambansa

Official seal of the
Department of National Defense

Incumbent
Gilberto Teodoro Jr.

since June 5, 2023

Style| The Honorable
Member of| Cabinet
Reports to| President of the Philippines
Appointer| The President
with Commission on Appointments confirmation
Precursor| Secretary of War
Formation| November 1, 1939
First holder| Teófilo Sison
Website| http://www.dnd.gov.ph

The Philippine secretary of National Defense (Filipino: Kalihim ng Tanggulang Pambansa) is the head of the Philippine Department of National Defense and a member of the President's Cabinet.[1]

The current secretary is former Philippine House representative of the Tarlac's 1st congressional district Gilbert Teodoro. He assumed office on June 5, 2023 and previously served the same position from August 2007 to November 2009.

Historically this cabinet position has been a stepping stone to the Philippine presidency. Two previous secretaries of national defense were elected president: Ramon Magsaysay and Fidel Ramos. Several others ran for the presidency: Alejo Santos, Juan Ponce Enrile, Renato de Villa, Norberto Gonzales and Gilbert Teodoro.

## Powers and functions

[edit]

The 1987 Executive Order No. 292 gives the national defense secretary executive supervision of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Office of Civil Defense, the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, the National Defense College of the Philippines, and the Government Arsenal.

## Revolutionary Government of the Philippines

[edit]

Main articles: Republic of Biak-na-Bato, Revolutionary Government of the Philippines (1898–1899), and First Philippine Republic

Prior to the formation of the Department of National Defense in 1935, President Emilio Aguinaldo established the Department of War and Public Works that served similar functions.[2]

No.  | Photo  | Name  | Term  | President

|
|
|
|

Took office  | Left office  | Duration
| Secretary of War
1  |  | Emiliano Riego de Dios  | March 22, 1897  | December 15, 1897  | 268 days  | Emilio Aguinaldo
Secretary of War and Public Works
2  |  | Baldomero Aguinaldo | July 15, 1898  | January 2, 1899  | 171 days  | Emilio Aguinaldo
Secretary of War and Public Works
(2)  |  | Baldomero Aguinaldo | January 2, 1899  | May 6, 1899  | 124 days  | Emilio Aguinaldo
3  |  | Mariano Trías | May 7, 1899  | March 23, 1901  | 1 year, 320 days  | Emilio Aguinaldo

## List of national defense secretaries

[edit]

No. | Portrait  | Name  | Term  | President

|
|
|
|

Took office  | Left office  | Duration
Secretary of National Defense

| Sison, TeófiloTeófilo Sison| November 1, 1939| July 15, 1941| 1 year, 256 days| Manuel Quezon

| Vargas, JorgeExecutive Secretary
Jorge Vargas
Acting| December 11, 1941| December 22, 1941| 11 days| Manuel Quezon
Secretary of National Defense, Public Works, Communications and Labor

| Valdes, BasilioBasilio Valdes| December 23, 1941| February 26, 1945| 3 years, 65 days| Manuel Quezon
Sergio Osmeña

| Cabili, TomasTomas Cabili| February 27, 1945| July 11, 1945| 134 days| Sergio Osmeña
Secretary of National Defense

| Montelibano, AlfredoAlfredo Montelibano| July 12, 1945| May 27, 1946| 319 days| Sergio Osmeña

| Kangleon, RupertoRuperto Kangleon| May 28, 1946| August 31, 1950| 4 years, 95 days| Manuel Roxas
Elpidio Quirino

| Magsaysay, RamonRamon Magsaysay| September 1, 1950| February 28, 1953| 2 years, 180 days| Elpidio Quirino

| Castelo, OscarOscar Castelo
Acting| March 1, 1953| December 30, 1953| 293 days| Elpidio Quirino

| Magsaysay, RamonRamon Magsaysay[a]
Acting| January 1, 1954| May 14, 1954| 133 days| Himself

| Cabahug, SoteroSotero Cabahug| May 14, 1954| January 2, 1956| 1 year, 233 days| Ramon Magsaysay

| Balao, EulogioEulogio Balao| January 3, 1956| August 28, 1957| 1 year, 237 days| Ramon Magsaysay
Carlos Garcia

| Vargas, JesusJesus Vargas| August 28, 1957| May 18, 1959| 1 year, 263 days| Carlos Garcia
10|

| Santos, AlejoAlejo Santos| June 11, 1959| December 30, 1961| 2 years, 202 days| Carlos Garcia
11|

| Peralta, MacarioMarcario Peralta| January 1, 1962| December 30, 1965| 2 years, 202 days| Diosdado Macapagal

| Marcos, FerdinandFerdinand Marcos[a]
Acting| December 31, 1965| January 20, 1967| 5 years, 20 days| Himself
12|

| Mata, ErnestoErnesto Mata| January 21, 1967| February 3, 1970| 3 years, 13 days| Ferdinand Marcos
13|

| Ponce Enrile, JuanJuan Ponce Enrile| February 9, 1970| August 27, 1971| 1 year, 199 days| Ferdinand Marcos

| Marcos, FerdinandFerdinand Marcos[a]
Acting| August 28, 1971| January 3, 1972| 128 days| Himself
13|

| Ponce Enrile, JuanJuan Ponce Enrile| January 4, 1972| January 16, 1973| 1 year, 12 days| Ferdinand Marcos
Minister of National Defense
13|

| Ponce Enrile, JuanJuan Ponce Enrile| January 17, 1973| November 23, 1986| 13 years, 310 days| Ferdinand Marcos
14|

| Ileto, RafaelRafael Ileto| November 23, 1986| February 11, 1987| 80 days| Corazon Aquino
Secretary of National Defense
14|

| Ileto, RafaelRafael Ileto| February 11, 1987| January 21, 1988| 344 days| Corazon Aquino
15|

| Ramos, FidelFidel Ramos| January 22, 1988| July 18, 1991| 3 years, 177 days| Corazon Aquino
16|

| de Villa, RenatoRenato de Villa| July 20, 1991| June 30, 1992| 6 years, 57 days| Corazon Aquino
Fidel Ramos
17|

| Abat, FortunatoFortunato Abat| September 16, 1997| June 30, 1998| 287 days| Fidel Ramos
18|

| Mercado, OrlyOrly Mercado| July 1, 1998| Jan 29, 2001| 2 years, 212 days| Joseph Estrada

| Ermita, EduardoEduardo Ermita
Acting| Jan 26, 2001| March 19, 2001| 52 days| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
19|

| Reyes, AngeloAngelo Reyes| March 19, 2001| August 29, 2003| 2 years, 163 days| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

| Macapagal Arroyo, GloriaGloria Macapagal Arroyo[a]
Acting| September 1, 2003| October 2, 2003| 31 days| Herself
20|

| Ermita, EduardoEduardo Ermita| October 3, 2003| August 24, 2004| 326 days| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
21|

| Cruz, AvelinoAvelino Cruz| August 25, 2004| November 30, 2006| 2 years, 97 days| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

| Macapagal Arroyo, GloriaGloria Macapagal Arroyo[a]
Acting| November 30, 2006| February 1, 2007| 63 days| Herself
22|

| Ebdane, HermogenesHermogenes Ebdane| February 1, 2007| July 2, 2007| 151 days| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

| Gonzales, NorbertoNorberto Gonzales
Acting| July 2, 2007| August 6, 2007| 35 days| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
23|

| Teodoro, GilbertGilbert Teodoro| August 7, 2007| November 16, 2009| 2 years, 101 days| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
24|

| Gonzales, NorbertoNorberto Gonzales| November 16, 2009| June 30, 2010| 226 days| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
25|

| Gazmin, VoltaireVoltaire Gazmin| June 30, 2010| June 30, 2016| 6 years, 0 days| Benigno Aquino III
26|

| Lorenzana, DelfinDelfin Lorenzana| June 30, 2016| June 30, 2022| 6 years, 0 days| Rodrigo Duterte

| Faustino, JoseSenior Undersecretary
Jose Faustino Jr.
Acting| June 30, 2022| January 9, 2023| 193 days| Bongbong Marcos

| Galvez, CarlitoSenior Undersecretary
Carlito Galvez Jr.
Acting| January 9, 2023| June 5, 2023| 147 days| Bongbong Marcos
27|

| Teodoro, GilbertGilbert Teodoro| June 5, 2023| Incumbent| 1 year, 114 days| Bongbong Marcos

Notes:

1. ^ a b c d e Served in concurrent capacity as the President.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "National Defense Secretaries". Department of National Defense. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
2. ^ "History: The Department of National Defense". Official Gazette, Republic of the Philippines.

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