Garafil out; Cesar Chavez named new PCO Secretary

September 5, 2024 | 4:43pm

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday, September 5 appointed Cesar Chavez as the new secretary of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), replacing Cheloy Garafil. 

Photos from the PCO show Chavez taking his oath before Marcos. In an ambush interview in Malacañang after the ceremony, Chavez said that his number one focus was fighting fake news. He also wished to convey more communication about the West Philippine Sea. 

“I’ll take an active role on messaging and communicating on our policies related to West Philippine Sea. I will focus on bringing you the news. You can also scrutinize on the, on the infrastructure projects of the President of this government,” Chavez said. 

Chavez said that he was approached for the position as early as August 2022, however, he was still a Transport undersecretary for railways at that time. 

Asked if he will serve as the spokesperson for the president, Chavez said that Marcos could best speak for himself. The new PCO chief said he prefers to work as a back room manager. 

“I’ll be helping the President explain his policies, some Cabinet decisions,” Chavez said. 

Chavez said he plans to work with the state media under the PCO, including Radyo Pilipinas and People’s Television. 

The new PCO secretary only plans to bring three to five new people into the agency. 

Rumors of Garafil leaving the PCO have long circulated in Malacañang. Asked if he thought this was an abrupt change, Chavez said that it was not new for presidents to have multiple communications secretaries.

Chavez was a station manager for DZRH prior to his stint in government. He will be Marcos’ third PCO secretary since he assumed office in 2022. 

Marcos’ first Communications Secretary was Trixie Cruz-Angeles. She held the post for less than four months before Garafil stepped in.  

Like Chavez, Garafil was also a journalist prior to her work in government. 

Garafil will be appointed to the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taiwan although she has not yet taken her oath.