FORMER Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil yesterday replaced Reginald Velasco as House Secretary General, just a week after the resignation of Speaker Martin Romualdez, who was replaced by Isabela Rep. Faustino Dy III as the leader of the House of Representatives.
Garafil, a former Malaya reporter who had also served as the media officer of then Speaker Gloria Arroyo and chairperson of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taipei, formally assumed the post after she was elected during the plenary session.
Retired Philippine Army Brig. Gen. Ferdinand Melchor de la Cruz was also elected as the new Sergeant-at-Arms, replacing Police Maj. Gen. Napoleon Taas.
The two took their oaths before the Speaker after the plenary approved the motion of House Majority Leader and presidential son Ferdinand Alexander Marcos for their appointments.
Garafil, in a statement, said: “It is with great honor and deep sense of responsibility that I formally assume the position of Secretary General of the House of Representatives of the Philippines.
“I am humbled by the trust and confidence given to me, and I pledge to serve with integrity, professionalism, and unwavering dedication to the mandate of this institution,” she said.
Garafil said she was looking forward to working with the new House leadership “in its collective mission to enact meaningful legislation that responds to the needs of our people.”
“As Secretary General, I shall work closely with the Honorable Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, the Honorable Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos, the Members of the House, and the Secretariat to ensure that our legislative processes are efficient, transparent, and responsive,” she said.
The former Palace Communications chief also called on her colleagues in the House Secretariat “to join me in this task of service, as we uphold the dignity of this institution and contribute to the achievement of our nation’s aspirations.”
“Together, we move forward with resolve and optimism, in the service of the House of the People and the Filipino nation,” Garafil said.
