New PCO secretary gets ‘free hand’ with courtesy resignation policy

PRESIDENTIAL Communications Office (PCO) Ad Interim Secretary Jay Ruiz issued a statement regarding the memorandum requiring all presidential appointees within the PCO to submit their courtesy resignations. He emphasized that this action is standard procedure, allowing the new secretary a “free hand” in selecting their team.

Ruiz clarified in a Monday interview, “Usually, that’s the process considering they are all presidential appointees… so that we can have a free hand in choosing our team. It’s difficult because you need to trust your team; as secretary, you need to bring your own people.”

He further stated, “For me, there’s nothing personal; many will be affected. We will assess the performance of each office and conduct a proper evaluation.” This assessment process is expected to take two to three weeks.

The memorandum, issued by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, aims to give the newly appointed PCO secretary the autonomy to implement their policies. The deadline for resignation submissions is February 28, 2025.

Ruiz, sworn in last week by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., succeeded Cesar Chavez, who resigned, stating he had “fallen short of expectations.”