Malacanang on Friday confirmed that President Rodrigo Duterte accepted the resignation of Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado.

"President Rodrigo Duterte has accepted Secretary Wendel Avisado’s resignation due to medical reasons," Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

Duterte has designated Undersecretary Tina Rose Marie Canda as officer-in-charge.

It did not say when Avisado submitted his resignation.

Last July 31, Avisado went on medical leave from August 02 to 13, a few days before the start of implementation of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

In a statement, DBM said it is due to his recent bout with COVID-19 where he was hospitalized for 8 days and quarantined for over a month.

Avisado's doctor advised him to undertake a series of examinations as it has been 14 years since undergoing a quadruple heart bypass. Ella Dionisio/DMS