Acting Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cesar Chavez announced that he will be leaving his Cabinet position this month after having "fallen short of what was expected," of himself.

Chavez is the third member of the Cabinet to leave the Marcos administration this month after former Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) President Emmanuel Ledesma, Jr. and Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista.

He is also the third presidential communications secretary to leave the Marcos Cabinet.

In a statement issued to Palace reporters on Thursday morning, Chavez said he submitted his irrevocable resignation as early as February 5. He was appointed on Dec 6, 2023.

Former broadcast journalist Jay Ruiz will be replacing Chavez.

"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," he 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.

''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,'' he said.

He said he will "try to work at full capacity" while physically on leave from 17 to 21 February 2025, when asked if he already resigned as head of PCO as early as last Thursday.

Chavez, who was also a former undersecretary for railways of DOTr under Bautista from July 2022 to December 2023, thanked Marcos for giving him the opportunity to work in PCO. DMS