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Marcos Jr. picks Rex Gatchalian as new DSWD secretary

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Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Presidential Communications Office screengrab" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/01/31/20230131-rex-gatchalian.jpg"/><figcaption><em>Presidential Communications Office screengrab</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA (UPDATE) - President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. appointed Valenzuela City First District Rep. Rex Gatchalian as the new head of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Malacañang said Tuesday. </p><p>A video shared by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) showed Marcos leading Gatchalian&#x27;s oath-taking in the Palace. </p><p>&quot;I just took my oath as head of DSWD. Mr. President, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be able to serve the country in a much larger capacity,&quot; Gatchalian said on Twitter.</p><p>He assured his constituents in Valenzuela it will be &quot;business as usual&quot; and that &quot;a caretaker will be appointed by the House of Representatives in the coming days.&quot;</p><p>In a statement, the DSWD welcomed Gatchalian&#x27;s appointment, saying the agency&#x27;s workforce will support and work with its new secretary to perform its mandate.</p><p>&quot;The DSWD workforce commits to work with the newly appointed Secretary in ensuring that the mandate of the Department is carried out effectively, efficiently and economically,&quot; it said.</p><p>&quot;The DSWD community supports the President in appointing Secretary Gatchalian to lead the Department in its pursuit of compassionate public service with respect for human dignity, integrity and service excellence,&quot; it added.</p><p>Gatchalian succeeds former journalist Erwin Tulfo, who was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments last year following <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/22/22/dswd-chief-tulfo-grilled-over-love-life-us-citizenship-libel">questions</a> on his US citizenship and his previous libel convictions.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/27/22/marcos-designates-ex-journo-as-dswd-oic-palace">Marcos designates Edu Punay as DSWD OIC: Palace</a></li></ul><p>Until Gatchalian&#x27;s appointment, the DSWD was headed by its Undersecretary for Special Projects, Eduardo &quot;Edu&quot; Punay. Marcos appointed the former journalist as officer-in-charge of the agency late last month.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/27/22/marcos-designates-ex-journo-as-dswd-oic-palace">Marcos designates Edu Punay as DSWD OIC: Palace</a></li></ul><p>The Palace lauded Gatchalian&#x27;s achievements as a local chief executive, noting the inclusion of Valenzuela in the Top 10 Outstanding Local Governance Programs in Galing Pook in 2021. </p><p>&quot;Nakilala rin si Mayor Rex para sa mga programang nailunsad para sa social protection at disaster response,&quot; it said. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/12/22/rex-gatchalian-back-in-congress-after-running-unopposed">Rex Gatchalian back in Congress after running unopposed</a></li></ul><p>Gatchalian, brother of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/12/22/rex-gatchalian-back-in-congress-after-running-unopposed">returned</a> to the House of Representatives in May last year after running unopposed in the race for Congress for the first District of Valenzuela.</p><p>He also served as a Congressman during the 14th and 15th Congress.</p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3460495094223207&amp;ref=sharing%3E" data-width="auto"> </div>

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. appointed Valenzuela City First District Rep. Rex Gatchalian as the new DSWD Secretary, Malacañang said Tuesday.

Marcos Jr. picks Rex Gatchalian as new DSWD secretary

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Marcos Jr. picks Rex Gatchalian as new DSWD secretary

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 31, 2023 07:20 PM PHT

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Updated January 31, 2023 09:47 PM PHT

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Rex Gatchalian

new DSWD secretary

DSWD secretary 2023

Rex Gatchalian new secretary

Department of Social Welfare and Development

Gatchalian

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