Presidential Adviser for Poverty Alleviation Larry Gadon clarified on Wednesday, May 22, that he will indeed submit his courtesy resignation, reversing an earlier statement where he appeared to reject the move.
Gadon clarified in a statement posted on his official Facebook page. He explained that his earlier response was based on a misunderstanding of the scope of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s directive for all Cabinet members to submit courtesy resignations. The directive was announced on Thursday, May 22, 2025, as part of the administration’s efforts to reassess and possibly reorganize its Cabinet team.
“When I was asked by Ms. Cheryl Cosim if I am going to submit my courtesy resignation, I responded ‘no,’ that I am a presidential adviser and that my understanding is that only cabinet officials handling line agencies are the ones covered by the directive,” Gadon said.
He admitted he was not yet aware of the updated guidelines released by Palace Press Undersecretary Claire Castro, which clarified that presidential advisers are also included in the resignation directive.
“At that particular moment, I have not learned about the guidelines announced by Usec Claire Castro yet,” Gadon explained, adding that he did not know such an announcement had been made.
Now that the scope of the directive has been made clear, Gadon said he is complying with the President’s order and will submit his courtesy resignation accordingly. “And so now that the coverage is well defined, I am submitting the courtesy resignation as directed by the President,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Undersecretary Castro reiterated that the final decision on whether any Cabinet official or adviser will be removed from office rests with President Marcos. The courtesy resignation process, she emphasized, allows the President to reassess his team and determine who will continue serving under his administration.
The move to request courtesy resignations from Cabinet members is seen as part of President Marcos’ bid to ensure efficient governance and realign his team with current policy priorities. The Palace has yet to announce whether any resignations have been accepted or if replacements are being considered.
Gadon, a controversial figure in politics, was appointed in 2023 to lead anti-poverty efforts. His future in the administration now depends on the President’s evaluation, following his formal submission of resignation.