Secretary of Labor and Employment (Philippines)

Secretary of Labor and Employment
Secretary of Labor and Employment
Kalihim ng Paggawa at Empleyo
	Official seal of the ; Department of Labor and Employment
	Incumbent; Francis Tolentino (Acting); since May 25, 2026
Style	The Honorable
Member of	Cabinet, National Security Council
Appointer	The president; with the consent of the Commission on Appointments
Term length	No fixed term
Inaugural holder	Ramon Torres
Formation	December 8, 1933; (92 years ago)
Website	www.dole.gov.ph

The secretary of labor and employment (Filipino: Kalihim ng Paggawa at Empleyo) is the head of the Department of Labor and Employment of the Philippine government and is a member of the president’s Cabinet.^[1]

AppointerThe president
with the consent of the Commission on Appointments

Term lengthNo fixed term

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Name (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office	President
Ramon Torres (1891–1975)	November 15, 1935	1936^[2]	Manuel L. Quezon
José Avelino (1890–1986)^[a]	1937^[3]	1939^[3]
León Guinto (1886–1962)	1940^[3]	1941^[4]

Name (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office	President
Mariano Eraña	February 27, 1945	July 11, 1945	Sergio Osmeña
Marcelo Adduru (1894–1972)	July 12, 1945	May 28, 1946	Sergio Osmeña
Pedro Magsalin	May 28, 1946	September 21, 1948	Manuel Roxas
Pedro Magsalin	May 28, 1946	September 21, 1948	Elpidio Quirino
Primitivo Lovina	September 21, 1948	October 4, 1950
Jose Figueras	October 4, 1950	December 30, 1953
Terry Adevoso (1922–1975)	March 10, 1954	April 21, 1954	Ramon Magsaysay
Angel M. Castaño	August 22, 1954	December 30, 1961	Ramon Magsaysay
Angel M. Castaño	August 22, 1954	December 30, 1961	Carlos P. Garcia
Norberto Romualdez Jr. Acting	December 30, 1961	November 29, 1962	Diosdado Macapagal
Bernardino Abes	November 29, 1962	July 15 1964
Jose B. Lingad (1914–1980)	July 15, 1964	December 30, 1965
Emilio Espinosa Jr. (1922–2026)	December 30, 1965	September 16, 1967	Ferdinand Marcos
Blas Ople (1927–2003)	September 16, 1967	1971
Adrian Cristobal (1932–2007)	1971	1972
Blas Ople (1927–2003)	1972	June 2, 1978

Name (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office	President
Blas Ople (1927–2003)	June 2, 1978	February 25, 1986	Ferdinand Marcos
Augusto Sanchez	March 25, 1986	January 4, 1987	Corazon Aquino
Franklin Drilon (born 1945)	January 4, 1987	February 11, 1987	Corazon Aquino

Name (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office	President
Franklin Drilon (born 1945)	February 11, 1987	January 2, 1990	Corazon Aquino
Dionisio dela Serna	January 3, 1990	January 19, 1990
Ruben Torres (born 1941)	January 20, 1990	February 11, 1992
Nieves Confesor	February 12, 1992	June 30, 1995
Nieves Confesor	February 12, 1992	June 30, 1995	Fidel V. Ramos
Jose Brillantes	July 1, 1995	January 16, 1996
Leonardo Quisumbing (1939–2019)	January 16, 1996	January 26, 1998
Cresenciano Trajano Acting	January 26, 1998	June 30, 1998
Bienvenido Laguesma (born 1950)	June 30, 1998	January 20, 2001	Joseph Estrada
Patricia Santo Tomas	January 20, 2001	July 3, 2006	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Arturo Brion (born 1946)	July 3, 2006	March 17, 2008
Marianito Roque	March 17, 2008	June 30, 2010
Rosalinda Baldoz	June 30, 2010	June 30, 2016	Benigno Aquino III
Silvestre Bello III (born 1944)	June 30, 2016	June 30, 2022	Rodrigo Duterte
Bienvenido Laguesma (born 1950)	June 30, 2022	May 25, 2026	Bongbong Marcos
Francis Tolentino Acting (born 1960)	May 25, 2026	Incumbent	Bongbong Marcos

List of secretaries of labor and employment

Secretary of Labor and Employment
Kalihim ng Paggawa at Empleyo
Official seal of the Department of Labor and Employment
Incumbent Francis Tolentino (Acting) since May 25, 2026
Style	The Honorable
Member of	Cabinet, National Security Council
Appointer	The president with the consent of the Commission on Appointments
Term length	No fixed term
Inaugural holder	Ramon Torres
Formation	December 8, 1933 (92 years ago) (1933-12-08)
Website	www.dole.gov.ph