PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. has tapped media personality and television host Daphne Oseña-Paez as “press briefer” — responsible for briefing the public about his programs, projects and activities.
Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) Undersecretary and officer-in-charge Chely Garafil yesterday introduced Oseña-Paez to members of the media. She reported about the results of the last Cabinet meeting of the President for the year.
“I will be the one who will be regularly your source for updates from the Palace. I look forward to working with all of you, of course, in a harmonious and collegial manner kasi I am also one of you. I am very honored to be communicating the message and programs of this administration, of course, in an accurate and effective way and I will do my best,” Oseña-Paez said.
Garafil described Oseña-Paez as a champion of women’s and child’s rights and the environment.
She once served as an ambassador of goodwill of the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and had previously worked with the media under the ABS-CBN network.
She has a degree in Fine Arts and History from the University of Toronto in Canada and is currently taking an advanced certificate for environmental management.
Oseña-Paez clarified she will not serve as Marcos’ spokesperson but she will “amplify and communicate the message” of the President, the Cabinet, and the government.
“The President will speak for himself. I’m just here to support the Office of the Press Secretary for now, and I look forward to learning a lot about the programs,” she said.
Oseña-Paez, on her first day of work in government, attended the 13th Cabinet meeting where 11 secretaries presented to the President the key accomplishments of their respective agencies from July to December and their planned programs for 2023.
“Within six months, the administration has done a lot and the programs were aimed at improving the economy and the lives of Filipinos. All the departments are working together to achieve the eight-point socio economic agenda of this administration,” she said.
The Cabinets that submitted reports include the departments of Finance (DOF), budget and management (DBM), trade and industry (DTI), tourism (DOT), information and communications technology (DICT), public works and highways (DPWH), transportation (DOTR), human settlements and urban development (DHSUD), foreign affairs (DFA), national defense (DND) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
The rest of the Cabinet will make their report in January.
The OPS said the President was elated by the accomplishments of the different departments in the past few months, adding they have “managed that (tasks) and I’m very happy that we were able to do it.”
“I am told I am to make a toast. I will toast you all for the good work that you have done, the good start that you have done. As I said earlier, I think you have done some significant things,” Marcos said as he reminded the Cabinet that there are still a lot of things that need to be done.
