Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado has resigned from the Cabinet due to health reasons, Malacañang announced Friday, August 13.
Avisado's resignation from his DBM post has been accepted by the President, according to Presidential spokesman Harry Roque.
Avisado, former administrator of Davao City, was appointed to the helm of the budget department in August 2019.
"PRRD has accepted Sec Wendel Avisado’s resignation due to medical reasons and has designated USec Tina Rose Marie Canda as OIC (officer-in-charge)," Roque said in a message to reporters Friday.
Prior to the Palace announcement about his resignation, Avisado went on medical leave from August 2 to 13, 2021 after contracting the coronavirus disease. He was hospitalized for 10 days and quarantined for 34 days.
In a statement on July 31, the budget department said Avisado was advised by his doctor to take a series of medical tests since it had been 14 years since his quadruple open heart bypass. Canda was designated OIC when Avisado went on medical leave.
By August 7, Avisado wrote a resignation letter to the President, saying he needed to take a rest and regain better health.
"The prognosis all point for me to take a rest from strenuous work and much pressure brought about by current work so I can fully recover and regain a much better health," he said in the letter.
"It is for this reason, that with a heavy heart, I am tendering my resignation as the Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management effective August 13, 2021," he said.
Avisado noted that he has already prepared the proposed 2022 national budget that will be submitted to Congress on August 23.
He also thanked the President for the honor and privilege of being a member of the Cabinet and wished Duterte the best in the remainder of his term.