PRESIDENTIAL Assistant on Strategic Communications Undersecretary Cesar Chavez was appointed acting secretary of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) and took his oath before President Marcos Jr. yesterday afternoon.
The President also administered the oath to National Youth Commission (NYC) Chairperson Joseph Francisco Ortega and NYC Commissioner-at-Large Karl Josef Legazpi.
Chavez succeeds Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil, who was nominated to head the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO). The MECO Board needs to elect Garafil to formalize her appointment and enable her to assume the post.
Chavez is the third head of PCO under the Marcos administration, with the first one being lawyer Trixie Angeles, followed by Garafil.
The President, in a post on his official X and Facebook accounts, said he has full trust in Chavez and his marching order was to “just tell the truth.”
“I am the sixth president that he has served, which speaks volumes of the man’s capabilities. In these six successive administrations, he has performed exceedingly well in various positions in government. We even worked alongside each other as former members of the 1992 Congress,” Marcos said.
“I have full trust that he will continue to serve with the same dedication and excellence that he has demonstrated in over three decades of public service; ensuring that the work we do is communicated effectively and immediately to the Filipino people,” he added.
The PCO said Chavez’s designation is acting secretary because he has yet to be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments.
Chavez said that he was first approached to head the PCO in August 2022 when he was still the Transportation undersecretary for rails but he politely declined.
He said he was involved then in important railway and infrastructure programs and would sometimes make suggestions to the government, including PCO.
Chavez thanked the President for his latest appointment, vowing that he would effectively “communicate for the presidency, to communicate for the government and to communicate for the state.”
He said he intends to promote professionalism in the PCO and will prioritize not just communicating about government policies and programs but also policies on the West Philippine Sea issue and the administration’s infrastructure program.
He also vowed to combat fake news and misinformation by ensuring that each communications office under the government, particularly PCO, would designate fact-check officers to ensure that information and news from the government are accurate and true
“Timely, accurate and validated information is what we need at the PCO,” Chavez said.
He had previously served as undersecretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), deputy administrator of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), and member of the Board of Directors of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.
He also served as anchor and later as station manager of radio station DZRH, and vice president of the Manila Broadcasting Company.
