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Cesar Chavez sworn in as Marcos’ new communications chief

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Pia Gutierrez

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1725524841068marcos chavez.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="white-space:pre-wrap">New PCO chief Cesar Chaves takes his oath before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. </span><br/><span id="isPasted"></span><span id="isPasted" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><br/><br/></span></span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">MANILA – Former PCO Senior Undersecretary Cesar Chavez confirmed Thursday afternoon that he had taken his oath as the new Presidential Communications Secretary.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“I thank the President for this opportunity to serve this country, this government. Maliwanag ho ang aking task dito, to communicate for the Presidency, to communicate for the government, and to communicate for the state,” the official told Malacanang reporters. </span><br/><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“This is not an undertaking of the PCO, this is an undertaking of the entire government bureaucracy, especially the communications team.”</span><br/><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Chavez replaces Atty. Cheloy Garafil, who he said was set to be appointed as head of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO).</span><br/><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“This is not an abrupt change, this is part of government, it’s like this. Panahon ni Cory, Panahon ni FVR, panahon ni President Erap nakailan din yan, panahon ni GMA nakailan din,” Chavez said.</span><br/><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“This is not new. At hindi ito limited sa office of the President. Even other government agencies. Paminsan-minsan nagkakaroon ng pagbabago. Ang objective lagi nito ay institutional change. Ang objective lagi nito ay tinitingnan ‘yung timpla ng organization. It&#x27;s more of an institutional development on personalities.” </span><br/><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">As PCO Secretary, Chavez said he would “take an active role on messaging and communicating on government policies related to the West Philippine Sea.”</span><br/><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“I’ll also focus on bringing you the news, you can also scrutinize on the infrastructure projects of the President of this government. Gusto ko rin katulong kayo at ang media para ma-scrutinize the government in particular,” he said.</span><br/><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Habang ako ang caretaker ng PCO, sa nakalipas na 40 years na nagtrabaho ako sa gobyerno, and for some years sa media, professionalism ang aking taglay na prinsipyo na gagamitin dito.”</span><br/><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Chavez said he would designate a fact check officer for every state media agency. </span><br/><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Para kami mismo hindi maging tagapaglako, tagapagtaguyot at hindi rin kami maging instrumento. But at the same time, ‘pag may nakita kami sa tingin namin ay fake na fake, there is a process of checking kung paano makikita kung fake ang balita o hindi,” he said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/06/23/cesar-chavez-named-presidential-assistant-for-strategic-communications">Cesar Chavez named Presidential Assistant for Strategic Communications</a><br/><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/21/23/palace-official-apologizes-for-sharing-fake-document-on-social-media">Palace official apologizes for sharing fake document on social media</a><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The new PCO Secretary said he would invite speakers who are experts on national security, social development, and infrastructure to join his team and help President Marcos Jr expound and explain his stand on several issues and policies.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“The spokesperson is the President. We will be helping him, ang ibig sabihin nito we will be inviting speakers. We will be inviting speakers to meet with you, help him explain, let them explain kung ano man ang statement ng President. So yan ho. The President is going to be the spokesperson still, we will just help the President expound, explain,” he said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Meanwhile, the Philippine government has created a digital hotline to ensure that class and work suspensions during calamities will be made and announced before 4 a.m., Chavez announced. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Office of the Executive Secretary, Office of Civil Defense, Presidential Management Staff, state weather bureau PAGASA, PCO, the interior department, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority will be part of the digital hotline that will decide early on whether the suspension of work and classes are warranted, he said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“The template is, bago mag-gabi kapag alam namin may problema tayo sa weather system at ang tingin natin sa Metro Manila and its environ, gabi pa lang mag-a-announce na ang PCO. Ang i-announce ang PCO, either we limit to local government units to decide or we will decide. So at least dalawa yan,” Chavez said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/5/kailan-dapat-suspendihin-ang-klase-1114">Kailan dapat suspendihin ang klase?</a></span></div>

<p>Former PCO Senior Undersecretary Cesar Chavez confirmed Thursday afternoon that he had taken his oath as the new Presidential Communications Secretary.</p>

Former PCO Senior Undersecretary Cesar Chavez confirmed Thursday afternoon that he had taken his oath as the new Presidential Communications Secretary.