The Duterte government endured "a great loss" after Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado tendered his resignation due to health reasons.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. made the statement when he learned about Avisado's departure from the Cabinet after his two years of service.
President Duterte earlier accepted the resignation of Avisado and designated Undersecretary Tina Rose Marie Canda as officer-in-charge of the budget department. Avisado quit his post Friday following a two-week medical leave after contracting the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Locsin, in a post on Twitter, claimed that he was not aware of Avisado's condition and expressed dismay that the Cabinet lost a "great guy."
"And he never told us. Great guy, great loss to government," he tweeted Friday, August 13.
After his bout with the coronavirus, Avisado submitted his resignation letter to the President "with a heavy heart." In his letter dated August 7, he said he needed to rest from strenuous work so he could fully recover and regain better health.
Avisado, former Davao City administrator, was appointed Budget Secretary in August 2019.