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Co-sponsorship Speech: Confirmation of the Ad Interim Appointment of Atty. Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil as Secretary of the Presidential Communications Office

March 15, 2023

Co-sponsorship Speech
Confirmation of the Ad Interim Appointment of Atty. Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil as Secretary of the Presidential Communications Office
Session Hall, Senate of the Philippines
15 March 2023

Mr. President,

I have the honor to co-sponsor the confirmation of the ad interim appointment of Atty. Cheloy Velicaria – Garafil as Secretary of the Presidential Communications Office.

In these challenging times, it is crucial for the government to have competent and committed leaders who will ensure that information on programs, projects and plans of the government is truthfully and promptly conveyed to the public.

As a lawyer and a former journalist holding a master’s degree in National Security Administration, I am confident that Secretary Garafil’s appointment to the PCO will fulfill such expectation and her leadership in the agency will thus pave the way for a more transparent, accountable, and effective governance.

Prior to her appointment to the PCO, Secretary Garafil served as the Chief of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB). She also served as Director for the Rules Committee of the House of Representatives; as a Prosecutor under the Department of Justice; and as a journalist for the newspaper publication Malaya, where her reportage on various issues affecting our society helped mold her character to be independent, hardworking, inquisitive and disciplined.

With her wealth of experience in public service, having worked in various media organizations and government agencies, I am certain that Secretary Garafil will be able to successfully lead the Presidential Communications Office as the premier communications arm of the government.

Mr. President, it is for these reasons that I second the confirmation of the ad interim appointment of Atty. Cheloy Velicaria – Garafil as Secretary of the Presidential Communications Office.

Thank you.