Communications Secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil was formally confirmed by the Commission on Appointments on Wednesday as she assured the government would continue to stamp out fake news under her watch.
Garafil assured the public that the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) strives to share facts with the public as she highlighted the importance of ensuring factual communication about government actions and services amid the proliferation of fake news.
There was no opposition in the Senate CA hearing to lift her ad interim appointment as the Marcos Jr. administration’s top spokesperson after she was plucked from the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Bureau to head the PCO.
At the opening of the hearing, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri expressed his “1000% support” to Garafil, whom he described as “very low profile.”
“I must say she was very much loved and very well-liked by not only the members of Malacanang family but also the media,” Zubiri said of Garafil, who is also a lawyer, former journalist, and former public relations practitioner.
He recalled an incident when they traveled with her in Japan during a presidential trip, as he saw her sitting in one of the corners of a restaurant, exhausted and without enough sleep.
“That’s the Philippines’ press secretary,” he said during the hearing.
Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Go also manifested their support to Garafil, while Sen. JV Ejercito moved for her approval as PCO chief.
Senators Risa Hontiveros and Grace Poe and Rep. Rodante Marcoleta were the only members of the CA who asked questions of Garafil.
In her opening remarks, Garafil recognized that leading the PCO was a “tough endeavor,” especially when fake news is easily spread via the Internet.
“I know that serving as PCO Secretary will be a tough endeavor. In a time when information is readily available at the click of a finger, there is also the proliferation of fake news,” she said.
“We, at PCO, have to make sure and likewise watch ourselves to ensure that we only share facts and truth,” Garafil added.
In an interview with Senate reporters, the PCO Secretary vowed the agency will always be truthful and transparent in its information dissemination to the public.
“We will always try to be truthful and transparent in all our articles, in all our efforts,” she said.
During her confirmation hearing, Senator Risa Hontiveros asked her how the PCO can help fight fake news and in reply, she said that they “abhor” it.
“The PCO will not tolerate fake news. Actually, we abhor it,” Garafil said.
“There are still many fake news about the PCO and the members of the OP (Office of the President) that’s why we’ll fight them during my term as PCO secretary,” she added.
According to Garafil, the PCO will launch a media literacy program to help people distinguish real information and news from fake news.
“We will go to the grassroots to address the fake news problem so that no one will fall victim to it and to teach our people to be more discerning when it comes to social media content,” she added.
The PCO chief said it was an honor to be invited by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to take over the PCO following the resignation of lawyer-vlogger-radio commentator Rose Beatrix “Trixie” Cruz-Angeles in November last year.
“When President Marcos called me to be part of the PCO, I did not think twice,” Garafil said.
“As a former journalist and a PR practitioner, I know how important the role of the PCO is in ensuring that the public will get the right information about the government’s programs and policies,” she added.
The PCO has undergone numerous reorganizations since the start of the Marcos Administration. According to Garafil, they ensure to protect their employees’ rights during these endeavors.
“Many changes were made in the agency. We reorganized to streamline the different offices that are part of information dissemination under the Office of the President,” she said.
“We ensure that we protect the rights of our employees as we reorganize and make adjustments at the PCO and its attached agencies,” she added.