Ralph Recto | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Executive Secretary of the Philippines | |
| Assumed office November 17, 2025 | |
| President | Bongbong Marcos |
| Preceded by | Lucas Bersamin |
| 33rdSecretary of Finance | |
| In office January 12, 2024 – November 17, 2025 | |
| President | Bongbong Marcos |
| Preceded by | Benjamin Diokno |
| Succeeded by | Frederick Go |
| Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives | |
| In office July 27, 2022 – January 12, 2024 Serving with several others | |
| Speaker | Martin Romualdez |
| Succeeded by | David Suarez |
| Member of theHouse of Representatives fromBatangas | |
| In office June 30, 2022 – January 12, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Vilma Santos |
| Succeeded by | Ryan Christian Recto |
| Constituency | 6th district |
| In office June 30, 1992 – June 30, 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Jose E. Calingasan |
| Succeeded by | Oscar Gozos |
| Constituency | 4th district |
| Senate Minority Leader | |
| In office July 25, 2016 – February 27, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Juan Ponce Enrile |
| Succeeded by | Franklin Drilon |
| President pro tempore of the Senate of the Philippines | |
| In office February 27, 2017 – June 30, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Franklin Drilon |
| Succeeded by | Migz Zubiri (acting) |
| In office July 22, 2013 – June 30, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Jinggoy Estrada |
| Succeeded by | Franklin Drilon |
| Senator of the Philippines | |
| In office June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2022 | |
| In office June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2007 | |
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| In office July 23, 2008 – August 16, 2009 | |
| President | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| Preceded by |
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| Succeeded by |
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| First Gentleman of Batangas | |
| In role June 30, 2025 | |
| Governor | Vilma Santos |
| Preceded by | Angelica Chua-Mandanas |
| In role June 30, 2007 – June 30, 2016 | |
| Governor | Vilma Santos |
| Preceded by | Edna Sanchez |
| Succeeded by | Regina Reyes Mandanas |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ralph Gonzalez Recto (1964-01-11)January 11, 1964 (age 61) Quezon City, Philippines |
| Political party | Nacionalista (2004–2007; 2018–present) |
| Other political affiliations | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Ryan Recto |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Politician, government official |
| Profession | Economist |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Official website |
Ralph Gonzalez Recto (Tagalog pronunciation:[gonˈsalɛsˈrɛktɔ]; born January 11, 1964) is a Filipino politician and economist who has served as theexecutive secretary on anad interim basis since 2025 under PresidentBongbong Marcos. He previously served as the 33rdsecretary of finance from 2024 to 2025 under President Marcos, therepresentative forBatangas'6th district from 1992 to 2001 and from 2022 to 2024, and as theHouse deputy speaker from 2022 to 2024.
Recto also previously served three terms in theSenate: from 2001 to 2007 and from 2010 to 2022, and he had served aspresident pro tempore of the Senate andSenate minority leader. He started his political career as the representative ofBatangas' 4th district from 1992 to 2001.
In 2007, Recto lost hisSenate re-election bid because, as many analysts believed, he had authored the unpopular EVAT (Expanded Value Added Tax) law. In July 2008, he was appointed to head theNational Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in theArroyo administration but resigned from his position in August 2009 in preparation for another run for the Senate in the2010 elections.[1]
He is a grandson of statesmanClaro M. Recto. His wife is actress-politicianVilma Santos.
Recto comes from a political family. His grandfather, the late nationalist and statesmanClaro M. Recto, was aSenator for several terms. He was an Assemblyman during theRegular Batasang Pambansa while his older brother, Ricky Recto, was the formervice governor of the province ofBatangas.
His late mother is Carmen Gonzalez-Recto (d. 2013). His sister, Plinky Recto, is an actress and TV host.
Recto acquired a Bachelor of Science in commerce at theDe La Salle University in 1989. In 1990, he entered the College of Public Administration of theUniversity of the Philippines Diliman to study Master of Public Administration, but only earned 36 academic units, hence unable to finish the graduate degree. Recto later took a Strategic Business Economics Program (SBEP) at theUniversity of Asia and the Pacific in 1993, where he acquired a Certificate in Business Economics (CBE).[2]
Recto took up a 6-day Certificate of Leadership Scholarship Course at the John F. Kennedy School of Government orHarvard Kennedy School ofHarvard University,Boston,Massachusetts,United States in 1997.
Recto was the youngest-elected member of the House of Representatives during the9th Congress. He is also the youngest elective official of his term. He also holds an unprecedented record in the congressional election history of Batangas for winning in all precincts, barangays, and municipalities, together withLipa City, in the 1995 and 1998 elections. He garnered 98% of the votes cast in those two elections in the 4th District ofBatangas.
During his first three terms (from 1992 to 2001) as a member of theHouse of Representatives, most of his legislative measures enacted into law deal with economic reforms andpoverty alleviation, among which are the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act; the Philippine Economic Zone Law; Amendment to the Special Economic Zone Law; the Retail Trade Liberalization Law; Regional Headquarters Law; and the Comprehensive Tax Reform Law.
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Upon being term-limited in the Senate, in2022, Recto ran for a comeback to the House of Representatives, this time at the6th district of Batangas, which consists of only thecity of Lipa.[3][4] During the campaign, he had endorsed thepresidential bid of Manila MayorIsko Moreno.[5] He then won the election unopposed,[6] succeeding his wifeVilma Santos who chose not to seek reelection.[7]
On July 27, 2022, Recto was named as aHouse Deputy Speaker under the speakership ofMartin Romualdez.[8]
Recto subsequently resigned as representative following his appointment as finance secretary by PresidentBongbong Marcos in January 2024. Speaker Martin Romualdez served as the caretaker of Recto's congressional seat until the2025 election.[9]
Recto was elected to theSenate in 2001, becoming the youngest Senator of the12th Congress at the age of 37. In the Senate, he chaired the Committees on Ways and Means and on Trade and Industry.
He was co-chairman of the Congressional Oversight Committees on the Proper Implementation of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) and on the Official Development Assistance (ODA). He was also chairman of the Accounts committee.
During his first six-year term as Senator, he was largely responsible for the passage of laws with positive impact to consumers, small entrepreneurs, workers and industry.
He was proclaimed as one of the winning senatorial candidates of the2010 Senate elections.
On July 22, 2013, at the start of the first day of the 1st Regular Session of the Senate for the 16th Congress, Recto was elected Senate President Pro-Tempore, the second highest post in the Senate and was also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology and member of the bicameralCommission on Appointments.
Recto ran for re-election in the2016 Senate election under theKoalisyon ng Daang Matuwid ofLiberal standard bearer and presidential nomineeMar Roxas and won placing 11th in the polls.
On the opening day of the 17th Congress, July 25, 2016, SenatorFrancis Escudero nominated Recto for the presidency. SenatorAntonio Trillanes IV seconded Escudero's nomination. During nominal voting,Koko Pimentel and Recto voted for each other. After losing the vote, Recto automatically became the Minority Leader. He was joined by Escudero and Trillanes in the minority bloc.[10] Recto, in his acceptance speech for the post, vowed that the minority would cooperate with the Duterte administration's plans if these serve "the public interest." However, he said, they would be "duty-bound" to oppose the majority's agenda if it "hurts the nation."[11]
When the Senate underwent a reorganization on February 27, 2017, Recto, after getting 17 votes, was declared Senate President Pro Tempore, replacingFranklin Drilon.[12]
For the 17th Congress, he authored the following laws: Murang Kuryente Act, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program Act, Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act, Universal Health Care Act, Philhealth Coverage for PWDs, National Integrated Cancer Control Act, Tax Amnesty Act, The New Central Bank Act, Lifting Quantitative Import Restriction on Rice, Social Security Act, First 1000 Days of Life, Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education, Comprehensive National Feeding Program, Free Irrigation Service, Ease of Doing Business/Expanded Anti-Red Tape Act, Free Internet Access in Public Places, Extending the Validity of Philippine Passport and Driver's License, National ID System, and Designating Casinos as Covered Persons under the AMLA.
Recto kept his post as Senate President Pro Tempore in the 18th Congress.[13]
In September 2018, Recto left the Liberal Party to re-join theNacionalista Party.[14]
After his failed bid for re-election to the Senate in 2007, Recto joined the board of theUnion Bank of the Philippines.[15]
He is said to have been offered the position ofSecretary of Finance but it was subsequently denied byMalacañang.[16]
PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo, on July 23, 2008, named him as the new director-general ofNational Economic and Development Authority, replacing Augusto Santos, acting NEDA chief.[17] On August 11, 2009, he resigned as NEDA secretary and Presidential Adviser for Economic Planning, in preparation for another run for Senate in the2010 election.[1]
On January 11, 2024, within his 60th birthday, Recto was appointed by PresidentBongbong Marcos as the secretary of finance.[18] He took his oath of office on January 12, 2024, succeedingBenjamin Diokno, while eventually vacating the posts of the House Deputy Speaker and the House Representative of the 6th district of Batangas, simultaneously.[19] TheCommission on Appointments confirmed Recto's appointment as finance secretary on March 13, 2024.[20]
On May 22, 2025, President Marcos ordered members of his cabinet to tender theircourtesy resignations in the aftermath of theMay 12, 2025 midterm elections.[21][22] Recto complied to this order.[23] He will continue to serve as secretary until President Marcos accepts his resignation, if the President does so.[24]
On November 17, 2025, presidential press officerClaire Castro announced that Recto would replace the resignedLucas Bersamin as the executive secretary. Castro also announced thatFrederick Go, who had served asSpecial Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs, would replace Recto as the finance secretary.[25] Since the announcement, Recto has been serving as the executive secretary on anad interim basis pending confirmation by theCommission on Appointments.
He is married to actress and formerBatangas representativeVilma Santos-Recto, with whom he has one son, incumbent Batangas representativeRyan Recto. He is the stepfather of actor and hostLuis Manzano. He currently lives inAyala Alabang,Muntinlupa, and in Inosluban,Lipa.[citation needed]
A senior [Department of Foreign Affairs] official told GMA News Online that all cabinet secretaries, including [Foreign Secretary Enrique] Manalo, are expected to continue to serve in their current posts 'until resignations are accepted.'
| House of Representatives of the Philippines | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of thePhilippine House of Representatives fromBatangas'4th District 1992–2001 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of thePhilippine House of Representatives fromBatangas'6th district 2022–2024 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority 2008–2009 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Secretary of Finance 2024–2025 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Executive Secretary of the Philippines 2025–present | Incumbent |
| Senate of the Philippines | ||
| Preceded by | President pro tempore of the Senate of the Philippines 2013–2016 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Senate Minority Leader 2016–2017 | |
| Preceded by | President pro tempore of the Senate of the Philippines 2017–2022 | Succeeded by |
| Order of precedence | ||
| Preceded by Ambassadors to the Philippines (in order of tenure) | Order of Precedence of the Philippines asExecutive Secretary of the Philippines | Succeeded byasSecretary of Finance |
| Preceded byasDean of the Diplomatic Corps | ||
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Senatorial history of Ralph Recto | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Batangas | |||||||
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| 6th district | |||||||
| At-large (defunct) |
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