MANILA, Philippines – Cezar Chavez announced early Thursday, February 20, that he is stepping down as Acting Secretary of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
“To use a broadcast parlance, I will be signing off as Acting Secretary of the Presidential Communications Office on February 28, 2025, or anytime earlier when my replacement is appointed. I submitted my irrevocable resignation on February 5, 2025,” he said in a statement.
Chavez told reporters that former ABS-CBN News reporter Jay Ruiz is taking his place.
“I spoke to Jay Ruiz already. I informed him that I will introduce him to the PCO Mancom [Management Committee] on Monday, Feb 24, so he can begin a week-long transition, so that by March 1, it’s already a plug-and-play for him as the new PCO Sec,” he said.
Chavez is President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s third communications chief since he assumed the presidency in June 2022. The radio journalist took over the post in September 2024.
Marcos’ first appointee, lawyer-turned-vlogger Trixie Cruz-Angeles was in the post for just under three months. Before Chavez, Malacañang’s communications chief was long-time Marcos aide Cheloy Garafil, who has since been appointed chairperson and resident representative of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), Manila’s de facto representation in Taiwan.
Even though he has resigned, Chavez said he was still supportive of the Marcos adminsitration’s vision.
“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,” said Chavez in his statement, as he waxed nostalgic over his “one regret” — “I have fallen short of what was expected of me.”
“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. Since my first day working in this administration and up to almost two years and seven months, I have always served each day as if it were my last, and thus I strive to give my best. As I always remind those who work with me at PCO, I am only as good as my last performance. And when the last day comes, I will leave with the same enthusiasm, gratitude, and hope for a better future for the country we love,” he said.
It’s the PCO that it is primarily responsible for crafting the Office of the President’s communications and messaging. In practice, it has also played a hand in the messaging of other goverment agencies as well. The PCO, headquartered within the Malacañang compound, has a slew of attached agencies and Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations under it, including People’s Television Network Incorporated, the National Printing Office, Presidential Broadcast Service-Bureau of Broadcast Services; Bureau of Communication Services; News and Information Bureau; Freedom of Information-Program Management Office; Philippine Information Agency; and the Presidential Broadcast Staff-Radio Television Malacañang.
Chavez was undersecretary of the transportation department before he was moved to the PCO as senior undersecretary. Prior to his resignation, Chavez designated Senior Undersecretary Emerald Ridao as Officer-in-Charge from February 17 to 21. Ridao, a long-time aide of Marcos, has been in the PCO since the beginning of the administration.
The outgoing PCO chief told reporters he had expected to introduce his replacement next week.
“Pero umaasa ako na magagawa iyon ngayong week para officially maipakilala na sa PCO sa Monday, February 24 (But I expect that to be announced this week so they can be introduced to the PCO on Monday, February 24),” he added. – Rappler.com