President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. swore in Monday former broadcast journalist Jay Ruiz as new Presidential Communications Office (PCO) ad interim secretary with lawyer Claire Castro named as his undersecretary and concurrent press officer.
Malacañang released a series of photos of both Ruiz and Castro taking their oath before the President on February 24, 2025—five days after former PCO Secretary Cesar Chavez announced a leadership transition in the organization.
Chavez stepped down from his role in the Marcos administration after five months in office. He tendered his “irrevocable resignation” last February 5 and said it will take effect by February 28 or earlier.
“I will not be signing out as a believer in this administration, whose vision I will continue to support as I pursue endeavors outside of government but still within the realm of public service,” he said in a statement last Thursday, February 20.
Ruiz, a broadcast journalist for over 20 years, retired from ABS-CBN in 2016. He is the fourth individual tapped to lead PCO under the Marcos administration after Chavez, lawyers Cheloy Garafil, and Trixie Cruz-Angeles.
Castro, meanwhile, previously hosted a legal-advice program on radio network DZMM. She will preside over upcoming Malacañang press briefings, according to a report by the Philippine News Agency.