Presidential Communications Office acting Secretary Cesar Chavez yesterday announced his irrevocable resignation effective February 28, admitting that he had “fallen short” of what was expected of him.
Chavez also confirmed that former broadcast journalist Jay Ruiz will take over his position by March 1.
“I would like to thank the President for the opportunity to serve, which has been an honor of a lifetime made possible only by his trust and confidence in me. Although there is much for which I am grateful and a long list of people to thank, I leave with only one regret: in my estimation, I have fallen short of what was expected of me,” Chavez said.
“It is to this fidelity to the truth—the bedrock belief to which I have anchored myself as a former broadcast journalist—that I must tell the unvarnished truth about my resignation,” he added.
He said he submitted his resignation on February 5, 2025.
Chavez said he will introduce Ruiz to the PCO management committee on Monday, February 24.
Ruiz, a journalist for over 20 years, retired from ABS-CBN in 2016.
He will be the fourth individual to lead the PCO under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Trixie Cruz-Angeles was the first to serve as press secretary. She was succeeded by Cheloy Garafil, who now heads the Manila Economic and Cultural Office.
Ruiz hails from Ilocos Norte, and his father was a former mayor of Sarrat, the hometown of the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos.
He has a degree in Speech and Drama from the University of the Philippines Diliman.
As this developed, a shakeup is reportedly looming in the Department of Transportation with incoming Secretary Vince Dizon expected to bring in some people.
Sources told ABS-CBN News that Dizon’s team is “almost complete” ahead of Monday’s turnover. With Rolando Ng III