PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. has formally endorsed lawyer Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil as chairperson and member of the board of directors of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said yesterday.
“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., through a desire letter, recommends Atty. Cheloy E. Velicaria-Garafil as Member and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO),” the PCO said in a Facebook post.
Garafil, in a social media post, said that she is deeply honored by President Marcos’ recommendation and thanked him for entrusting her “with a role that holds great significance and tremendous responsibility, as it comes with the duty of ensuring the welfare of our Kababayans in Taiwan.
“I also assure the President and the Filipino people of my steadfast dedication to further strengthening economic and cultural exchanges between the Philippines and the people of Taiwan,” she added.
Garafil, before her nomination to MECO, served as PCO secretary since January 2023 and officer-in-charge of the now-defunct Office of the Press Secretary since October 2022.
She was succeeded by Cesar Chavez, who assumed the role of Communications secretary last September 5.
Garafil previously served as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chairperson and as service director at the Committee on Rules of the House of Representatives, prosecutor for the Department of Justice (DOJ), and State Solicitor for the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG).
She is a lawyer and a former journalist. She previously worked as a reporter for the newspaper Malaya, Philippine Daily Globe and the Central News Agency of Taiwan.
