By Patricia Francia Lachica

After the first five days of his term, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. presided over their first Cabinet meeting at the Aguinaldo State Dining Room in Malacañan on Tuesday.

Marcos started their official meeting by focusing on the economy, as he told his members that the economic group would hold a briefing with them regarding the "general economic situation" of the Philippines. 

Matters from the education, finance, agriculture, and transportation sectors were also discussed during the meeting. 

"The central policy, actually, that everybody else will eventually be following, will be that set out by our economic managers," Marcos told his Cabinet members. 

The economic team consists of the new chief executive, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor, the Secretary of the Department of Finance, and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). 

Meanwhile, the Philippine Statistics Office reported that the P1 in 2018 depreciated to only P0.87 in 2022 due to the country's 6.1 percent inflation. The inflation also resulted in whopping oil prices and basic goods cost increases. 

After the meeting, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said that the meeting was"very productive."

"Very productive 4-hour cabinet meeting. The president focused on matters of primary importance: controlling inflation, ensuring food security, supporting the transportation sector, and re-opening of face-to-face classes. Other areas of concern will be discussed in subsequent meetings of the cabinet," Guevarra quipped.

Marcos Jr. is yet to pick officials for the unfilled departments under his term for the Department of Energy, Department of Health, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Science and Technology, and Department of Housing and Urban Development.