MANILA -- All appointed officials under the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) have been asked to tender their courtesy resignations to give new Communications Secretary Jay Ruiz a "free hand in performing his duties and functions."

Officials were given until February 28 to submit their courtesy resignations, according to a February 25 document from the office of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.

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"In 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 tender their unqualified courtesy resignations," the memorandum read.

"The above directive shall apply to all Presidential Appointees… under the PCO whose appointments are not permanent," it read.

All officials covered by the memorandum are expected to "continue to report for work and perform their usual duties" unless the President, Executive Secretary or PCO Secretary says otherwise, Bersamin said in his letter.

Ruiz was also directed to closely monitor the compliance of PCO officials.

Ruiz — a former journalist — replaced former Communications Secretary Cesar Chavez in late February after the latter tendered his irrevocable resignation, citing shortcomings from expectations.

Ruiz earlier said that among the primary directives he received was to fight disinformation.

ABS-CBN News has reached out to Ruiz to ask how many new officials are expected to enter the PCO under his tenure, but he has yet to respond to queries.