PCO chief Jay Ruiz stays; Puod, 17 execs go
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Jay Ruiz has been marked safe from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet cleanse, while former PTV general manager Undersecretary Ana Puod and at least 17 other agency officials have resigned.
Marcos has called for the courtesy resignation of all government agency heads in a bid to reset his administration after a dismal midterm poll turnout for his senatorial slate. Most of his Cabinet secretaries have been spared, with only a handful replaced so far.
Ruiz is among the last major Cabinet secretaries confirmed to be staying on amid Marcos’s ongoing purge.
“This fresh mandate is both an honor and a responsibility that strengthens my resolve to serve with greater dedication, especially at a time when effective communication is central to the success of the administration’s programs,” Ruiz said in a statement to reporters.
Meanwhile, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed the resignation of Puod. While Puod had been replaced as the PTV’s general manager, she still held the position of Undersecretary for Strategic Communications.
The Palace clarified that Puod’s resignation had nothing to do with Marcos’ call for resignations, since the cleanse only targeted agency chiefs.
However, 17 other officials within the PCO have also submitted their courtesy resignations, all of which have already been accepted.
In a Facebook post, Puod clarified that there was no bad blood between her and Secretary Ruiz.
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