Veteran broadcast聽journalist Jay Ruiz. | PHOTO: Screengrab from Jay Ruiz鈥檚 YouTube page, Jay Ruiz Talks @ Sentro
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Newly installed Communications Secretary Jay Ruiz on Monday defended the order mandating the submission of 鈥渦nqualified courtesy resignations鈥� of presidential appointees at the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) and its attached agencies and state-run firms.
On the sidelines of a flag-raising ceremony in Malaca帽ang, Ruiz was pressed about the order released on Saturday.
READ: PCO appointees asked to submit resignations
鈥淯sually, ganun naman talaga kasi we鈥檙e all presidential appointees here. So, para lang sa amin naman, siyempre, free hand sa pagpili ng ating mga kasama,鈥� he said.
(Usually, it鈥檚 like that because we鈥檙e all presidential appointees here. So, just for us, of course, we have a free hand in choosing our companions.)
鈥淢ahirap din po kasi, dapat pagkakatiwalaan鈥� Kasi, kung hindi mo kasama, hindi mo naman siya dapat kilala,鈥� he continued.
(It鈥檚 also difficult because you have to trust each other鈥� Because, if you鈥檙e not with him, you shouldn鈥檛 know him.)
Ruiz further said, 鈥淎s a secretary, dapat dalhin mo rin 鈥榶ung sarili mong tao (you should bring your own staff).聽I-a-assess mo rin yung mga proseso at sistema sa opisyo. So, sa akin lang, siyempre, walang personalan (You will also assess the processes and systems in the office. So, just me, of course, nothing personal.)
In a memorandum聽dated Feb. 25, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin gave the incumbent appointees at Malaca帽ang鈥檚 premier communications arm until Friday, Feb. 28, to quit their posts.
鈥淚n the exigency of service and in order to give the new PCO secretary a free hand in performing his duties and functions, all incumbent presidential appointees in agencies, offices, and bureaus under the PCO are hereby directed to render their UNQUALIFIED COURTESY RESIGNATIONS, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations,鈥� it read.
The directive covered presidential appointees in PCO agencies, offices, and bureaus 鈥渨hose appointments are not permanent.鈥�
It also applied to presidential appointees in government-owned and controlled corporations attached to the PCO 鈥渨hose appointments are in acting capacity, as well as those who are in holdover status.鈥�