Manila: Seasoned lawyer and academic Darlene Marie Berberabe will take over as the new Solicitor General. Berberabe took her oath before President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday in Malaca±ang, based on photos shared on social media by the Presidential Communications Office. Currently serving as dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law, Berberabe will replace Menardo Guevarra, who previously served as Justice Secretary under the Duterte administration. Berberabe also served as chief executive officer of the Pag-IBIG fund.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Office of the Solicitor General acts as the 'law firm' for the government, handling legal matters on its behalf, its agencies, and officials. This includes representing them in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and other courts. In a Palace press briefing, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said Marcos picked a new Solicitor General to 'allow for fresh blood to come in.' Bersamin vouched for Berberabe's competence, citing her broad experience as an academic and legal professional.
Berberabe obtained her philosophy degree from the University of the Philippines (UP), graduating summa cum laude and class valedictorian of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy in 1989. She graduated class salutatorian of the UP College of Law in 1999. 'While she was a student, she already worked at Quisumbing Torres Law Firm. She later joined Procter and Gamble as general counsel,' Bersamin said. He also noted that Berberabe, as head of the Pag-IBIG Fund under the Aquino administration, became known for her 'transformational leadership, good governance, integrity and excellence.'
Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez welcomed Berberabe's appointment, citing her strong qualifications to lead the government's legal team amid complex constitutional issues and high-stakes cases that require sharp and independent counsel. 'She is stepping in at a critical moment, and I have no doubt she is ready. Her legal expertise, leadership, and integrity make her the right choice to serve as the Republic's chief legal defender,' Romualdez, a lawyer from UP and president of the Philippine Constitution Association, said in a statement.
He said the government needs a Solicitor General who can stand firm before the Supreme Court, argue persuasively, and safeguard the legal interests of the State. 'Dean Berberabe has the intellect, experience, and independence to do just that. Her professional record is not only impressive -- it is defined by discipline, fairness and vision,' Romualdez said. 'I am confident she will lead the OSG with the same rigor and patriotism that have marked every chapter of her career.'
In related news, newly appointed Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling also took his oath before the President on Thursday. The fresh appointments are among the latest changes in the Cabinet after Marcos ordered his appointees to submit their courtesy resignation as he looks to recalibrate his administration following the midterm elections.
