PCO audit underway

MANILA, Philippines —  Newly appointed Presidential Communications Secretary Dave Gomez has started his stint with an “honest-to-goodness” and “unbiased” performance audit of units under the agency.

Yesterday’s audit involved one-on-one meetings with heads of units attached to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Gomez said.

“There is no timeline yet, but it’s really very urgent. We started this morning, several more meetings this afternoon and tomorrow,” he added.

Gomez vowed to revisit regulations imposed on journalists covering President Marcos, saying he would meet with Malacañang Press Corps officers to discuss coverage-related concerns.

The PCO will continue the campaign against fake news, a phenomenon that he said is “doing a lot of disservice to the Filipino people.”

Gomez, a veteran public relations practitioner and former journalist, took his oath before Marcos yesterday at Malacañang, the fifth to be appointed PCO secretary in the present administration.

He replaced former television reporter Jay Ruiz, who has been named a member of the board of directors of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, the Philippines’ de facto embassy in Taiwan.

Before Ruiz, the PCO was headed by lawyer and vlogger Trixie Angeles, former journalist and Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board chief Cheloy Garafil and radio broadcaster and former transportation undersecretary for railways Cesar Chavez.

Marcos is optimistic about Gomez’s capability to lead the PCO.

“Because of his long experience in media and public service, I am sure that he can clearly and honestly relay the message of our government to each Filipino,” the President said.

On July 11, Gomez said he would adopt a strategy he called “3Ps minus one,” or “programs and policies minus the politics.”

Aside from Gomez, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin also took her oath before the President.

“Garin’s experience in crafting laws and developing energy policies will help us in our objective to bring more reliable, cheaper and cleaner energy to each Filipino family under the new Philippines,” the President posted on Facebook.

Prior to her appointment as energy secretary, Garin was designated officer-in-charge of the agency, succeeding Raphael Lotilla, who was named environment secretary in May.

ERC’s Dimalanta resigns

Meanwhile, Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) chairperson and CEO Monalisa Dimalanta has submitted her “irrevocable resignation,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed yesterday.

Details of her resignation were not disclosed, with Dimalanta deferring the matter to Malacañang.

In August 2024, the Office of the Ombudsman slapped Dimalanta with a six-month preventive suspension over alleged grave misconduct, grave abuse of authority and conduct prejudicial to public service.

Malacañang reinstated Dimalanta in October last year after the ombudsman overturned its decision.

Dimalanta reportedly announced her impending departure during a flag-raising ceremony yesterday.

Diplomats

Female career diplomats were appointed to key positions at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) under the leadership of new Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro.

Lazaro named Antonina Mendoza-Oblena as chief coordinator and Shirley Flores as chief of staff.

Replacing Lazaro as undersecretary for bilateral relations and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) affairs is Assistant Secretary Ma. Hellen De La Vega.

Philippine ambassador to Seoul Ma. Theresa Dizon-de Vega is the new undersecretary for administration.

The DFA Office of ASEAN Affairs is headed by Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Hernando, while the Asian and Pacific Affairs is headed by Assistant Secretary Evangeline Jimenez-Ducro. –  Brix Lelis, Pia Lee-Brago