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Secretary of National Defense (Philippines)
Cabinet position in the Philippines
Cabinet position in the Philippines
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| post | Secretary |
| body | National Defense |
| native_name | Kalihim ng Tanggulang Pambansa |
| insignia | Department of National Defense - DND (Philippines).svg |
| insigniacaption | Official seal of the |
| Department of National Defense | |
| image | Gilbert Teodoro, 2023 official portrait.jpg |
| incumbent | Gilbert Teodoro |
| incumbentsince | June 5, 2023 |
| style | The Honorable |
| member_of | Cabinet, National Security Council |
| reports_to | President of the Philippines |
| appointer | The president |
| appointer_qualified | with Commission on Appointments confirmation |
| precursor | Secretary of War |
| formation | November 1, 1939 |
| first | Teófilo Sison |
| website |
Department of National Defense
The secretary of national defense () is the head of the Department of National Defense of the Philippines and a member of the president's Cabinet.
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 has 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
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.
List of national defense secretaries
Director of War (1897)
| Portrait | Name | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | President |
| [[File:Emiliano_Riego_de_Dios.png | 122x122px]] | **Emiliano Riego de Dios** | March 22, |
| 1897 | November 1, | ||
| 1897 | Emilio Aguinaldo |
Secretary of War (1897)
| Portrait | Name | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | President |
| [[File:Emiliano_Riego_de_Dios.png | 122x122px]] | **Emiliano Riego de Dios** | November 1, |
| 1897 | December 15, | ||
| 1897 | Emilio Aguinaldo |
Secretary of War and Navy (1898–1899)
| Portrait | Name | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | President |
| [[File:Baldomero_Aguinaldo.jpg | 129x129px]] | **Baldomero Aguinaldo** | |
| (1869–1915) | July 15, | ||
| 1898 | May 7, | ||
| 1899 | Emilio Aguinaldo |
Secretary of War (1898–1899)
| Portrait | Name | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | President |
| [[File:Mariano_Trias_portrait.jpg | 123x123px]] | **Mariano Trías** | |
| (1868–1914) | May 7, | ||
| 1899 | November 13, | ||
| 1899 | Emilio Aguinaldo |
Secretary of National Defense (1939–1941)
| Portrait | Name | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | President |
| [[File:Teofilo Sison.jpg | 110x110px]] | **Teófilo Sison** | |
| (1880–1975) | November 1, | ||
| 1939 | July 15, | ||
| 1941 | Manuel L. Quezon | ||
| [[File:Manuel L. Quezon (November 1942) (cropped).jpg | 133x133px]] | **Manuel L. Quezon** | |
| (1878–1944) | |||
| *Acting* | July 16, | ||
| 1941 | December 11, | ||
| 1941 | |||
| [[File:Jorge Bartolomé Vargas.jpg | 129x129px]] | **Jorge B. Vargas** | |
| (1890–1980) | |||
| *Acting* | December 11, | ||
| 1941 | December 22, | ||
| 1941 |
Secretary of National Defense, Public Works, Communications and Labor (1941–1945)
| Portrait | Name | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | President | |
| [[File:Basilo J. Valdes (December, 1944).jpg | 130x130px]] | **Basilio Valdes** | ||
| (1892–1970) | December 23, | |||
| 1941 | February 26, | |||
| 1945 | Manuel L. Quezon | |||
| Sergio Osmeña | ||||
| [[File:Tomás Lluisma Cabili.jpg | 135x135px]] | **Tomas Cabili** | ||
| (1903–1957) | February 27, | |||
| 1945 | July 11, | |||
| 1945 |
Secretary of National Defense (1945–1978)
| Portrait | Name | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | President | |
| [[File:Alfredo Montelibano Sr.jpg | 132x132px]] | **Alfredo Montelibano Sr.** | ||
| (1905–1989) | July 12, | |||
| 1945 | May 27, | |||
| 1946 | Sergio Osmeña | |||
| [[File:Col. Ruperto Kangleon.jpg | 125x125px]] | **Ruperto Kangleon** | ||
| (1890–1958) | May 28, | |||
| 1946 | August 31, | |||
| 1950 | Manuel Roxas | |||
| Elpidio Quirino | ||||
| [[File:Ramon-Magsaysay-01.jpg | 152x152px]] | **Ramon Magsaysay** | ||
| (1907–1957) | September 1, | |||
| 1950 | February 28, | |||
| 1953 | ||||
| [[File:Oscar Tombo Castelo.jpg | 100x100px]] | **Oscar Castelo** | ||
| (1903–1982) | ||||
| *Acting* | March 1, | |||
| 1953 | December 30, | |||
| 1953 | ||||
| [[File:Ramon-Magsaysay-01.jpg | 152x152px]] | **Ramon Magsaysay** | ||
| (1907–1957) | ||||
| *Acting* | January 1, | |||
| 1954 | May 14, | |||
| 1954 | Ramon Magsaysay | |||
| [[File:Secretary of National Defense Sotero Cabahug (cropped).jpg | 115x115px]] | **Sotero Cabahug** | ||
| (1891–1963) | May 14, | |||
| 1954 | January 2, | |||
| 1956 | ||||
| [[File:Eulogio Balao.jpg | 126x126px]] | **Eulogio Balao** | ||
| (1907–1977) | January 3, | |||
| 1956 | August 28, | |||
| 1957 | ||||
| Carlos P. Garcia | ||||
| [[File:Chief of Staff Jesus M. Vargas (cropped).jpg | 111x111px]] | **Jesus Vargas** | ||
| (1905–1994) | August 28, | |||
| 1957 | May 18, | |||
| 1959 | ||||
| [[File:Rep. Alejo S. Santos (2nd Congress).jpg | 133x133px]] | **Alejo Santos** | ||
| (1911–1984) | June 11, | |||
| 1959 | December 30, | |||
| 1961 | ||||
| [[File:Macario Peralta Jr.jpg | 132x132px]] | **Macario Peralta Jr.** | ||
| (1913–1975) | January 1, | |||
| 1962 | December 30, | |||
| 1965 | Diosdado Macapagal | |||
| [[File:Ferdinand E Marcos (cropped).jpg | 146x146px]] | **Ferdinand Marcos** | ||
| (1917–1989) | ||||
| *Acting* | December 31, | |||
| 1965 | January 20, | |||
| 1967 | Ferdinand Marcos | |||
| [[File:Ernestomata2.jpg | 133x133px]] | **Ernesto Mata** | ||
| (1915–2012) | January 21, | |||
| 1967 | February 3, | |||
| 1970 | ||||
| [[File:Juan Ponce Enrile as a Philippine defense secretary.jpg | 133x133px]] | **Juan Ponce Enrile** | ||
| (1924–2025) | February 9, | |||
| 1970 | August 27, | |||
| 1971 | ||||
| [[File:Ferdinand E Marcos (cropped).jpg | 146x146px]] | **Ferdinand Marcos** | ||
| (1917–1989) | ||||
| *Acting* | August 28, | |||
| 1971 | January 3, | |||
| 1972 | ||||
| [[File:Juan Ponce Enrile as a Philippine defense secretary.jpg | 133x133px]] | **Juan Ponce Enrile** | ||
| (1924–2025) | January 4, | |||
| 1972 | June 2, | |||
| 1978 |
Minister of National Defense (1978–1987)
| Portrait | Name | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | President | |
| [[File:Juan Ponce Enrile as a Philippine defense secretary.jpg | 133x133px]] | **Juan Ponce Enrile** | ||
| (1924–2025) | June 2, | |||
| 1978 | November 23, | |||
| 1986 | Ferdinand Marcos | |||
| Corazon Aquino | ||||
| [[File:R ILETO.jpg | 127x127px]] | **Rafael Ileto** | ||
| (1920–2003) | November 23, | |||
| 1986 | February 11, | |||
| 1987 |
Secretary of National Defense (from 1987)
| Portrait | Name | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | President | |
| [[File:R ILETO.jpg | 127x127px]] | **Rafael Ileto** | ||
| (1920–2003) | February 11, | |||
| 1987 | January 21, | |||
| 1988 | Corazon Aquino | |||
| [[File:Fidel Valdez Ramos (1995) close-up (cropped).jpg | 145x145px]] | **Fidel V. Ramos** | ||
| (1928–2022) | January 22, | |||
| 1988 | July 18, | |||
| 1991 | ||||
| [[File:Former Defense Secretary Renato De Villa In 2024.jpg | 125x125px]] | **Renato de Villa** | ||
| (born 1935) | July 20, | |||
| 1991 | September 15, | |||
| 1997 | ||||
| Fidel V. Ramos | ||||
| [[File:Major General Fortunato U. Abat (cropped).jpg | 100x100px]] | **Fortunato Abat** | ||
| (1925–2018) | September 16, | |||
| 1997 | June 30, | |||
| 1998 | ||||
| [[File:Defense Secretary Orly Mercado.jpg | 119x119px]] | **Orly Mercado** | ||
| (born 1946) | June 30, | |||
| 1998 | January 25, | |||
| 2001 | Joseph Estrada | |||
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | ||||
| [[File:Eduardoerminta.jpg | 133x133px]] | **Eduardo Ermita** | ||
| (1935–2025) | ||||
| *Acting* | January 26, | |||
| 2001 | March 19, | |||
| 2001 | ||||
| [[File:Secretary Angelo Reyes.jpg | 136x136px]] | **Angelo Reyes** | ||
| (1945–2011) | March 19, | |||
| 2001 | August 29, | |||
| 2003 | ||||
| [[File:President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.jpg | 144x144px]] | **Gloria Macapagal Arroyo** | ||
| (born 1947) | ||||
| *Acting* | September 1, | |||
| 2003 | October 2, | |||
| 2003 | ||||
| [[File:Eduardoerminta.jpg | 133x133px]] | **Eduardo Ermita** | ||
| (1935–2025) | October 3, | |||
| 2003 | August 24, | |||
| 2004 | ||||
| [[File:3x4.svg | 133x133px]] | **Avelino Cruz** | August 25, | |
| 2004 | November 30, | |||
| 2006 | ||||
| [[File:President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.jpg | 144x144px]] | **Gloria Macapagal Arroyo** | ||
| (born 1947) | ||||
| *Acting* | November 30, | |||
| 2006 | February 1, | |||
| 2007 | ||||
| [[File:Hermogenes Ebdane 2007 (cropped) 02.jpg | 115x115px]] | **Jun Ebdane** | ||
| (born 1948) | February 1, | |||
| 2007 | July 2, | |||
| 2007 | ||||
| [[File:Norberto Gonzales.jpg | 100x100px]] | **Norberto Gonzales** | ||
| (born 1947) | ||||
| *Acting* | July 2, | |||
| 2007 | August 6, | |||
| 2007 | ||||
| [[File:Gilbert Teodoro, 2023 official portrait (cropped).jpg | 127x127px]] | **Gilbert Teodoro** | ||
| (born 1964) | August 7, | |||
| 2007 | November 16, | |||
| 2009 | ||||
| [[File:Norberto Gonzales.jpg | 100x100px]] | **Norberto Gonzales** | ||
| (born 1947) | November 16, | |||
| 2009 | June 30, | |||
| 2010 | ||||
| [[File:Voltaire Gazmin.jpg | 125x125px]] | **Voltaire Gazmin** | ||
| (born 1944) | June 30, | |||
| 2010 | June 30, | |||
| 2016 | Benigno Aquino III | |||
| [[File:Delfin Lorenzana (cropped).jpg | 132x132px]] | **Delfin Lorenzana** | ||
| (born 1948) | June 30, | |||
| 2016 | June 30, | |||
| 2022 | Rodrigo Duterte | |||
| [[File:Jose C. Faustino Jr.jpg | 125x125px]] | **Jose Faustino Jr.** | ||
| (born 1965) | ||||
| *Acting* | June 30, | |||
| 2022 | January 9, | |||
| 2023 | Bongbong Marcos | |||
| [[File:Carlito Galvez OIC DND.jpg | 125x125px]] | **Carlito Galvez Jr.** | ||
| (born 1962) | ||||
| *Acting* | January 9, | |||
| 2023 | June 5, | |||
| 2023 | ||||
| [[File:Gilbert Teodoro, 2023 official portrait (cropped).jpg | 127x127px]] | **Gilbert Teodoro** | ||
| (born 1964) | June 5, | |||
| 2023 | Incumbent |
Notes:
References
References
- Geducos, Argyll Cyrus. (June 5, 2023). "Marcos names Gibo Teodoro as defense chief". Manila Bulletin.
- Cupin, Bea. (May 29, 2025). "Marcos gov’t revamp: Remullas, Teodoro in; SolGen and CHED chief out". [[Rappler]].
- "National Defense Secretaries".
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