Ex-PCO chief Garafil elected as House secretary general

MANILA, Philippines — Former Presidential Communications Office (PCO) secretary Cheloy Garafil was elected yesterday as the new secretary general of the House of Representatives.

Her election came amid the leadership changes in the chamber following the resignation of Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez as House speaker.

Garafil replaced Reginald Velasco.

During the plenary session, House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos moved to declare the position of House secretary general vacant.

With no objection from the floor, House Deputy Speaker Janette Garin, who presided over the session, declared: “The Chair hears none, Cheloy Velicaria Garafil is unanimously elected as the secretary general of the House of Representatives.”

Garafil, who previously served as PCO chief under President Marcos, took her oath before newly elected Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III.

The chamber also elected retired Brig. Gen. Melchor dela Cruz, a former Philippine Army official, as the new sergeant-at-arms.

Garafil and Dela Cruz are the first officials appointed under Dy’s leadership.

Garafil is a lawyer and former journalist. Before her election as House secretary general, she served as chairperson and resident representative of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taiwan from 2024 to 2025. A graduate of communication arts and law from the University of Santo Tomas, Garafil worked as a prosecutor at the Department of Justice during the Arroyo administration, chaired the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and served as officer-in-charge of the Office of the Press Secretary, which was reorganized into the PCO in December 2022.

“It is with great honor and deep sense of responsibility that I formally assume the position of secretary general of the House of Representatives of the Philippines,” Garafil said in a statement.

“I am humbled by the trust and confidence given to me, and I pledge to serve with integrity, professionalism and unwavering dedication to the mandate of this institution,” she added. “Together, we move forward with resolve and optimism, in the service of the House of the People and the Filipino nation.”

Aside from Garafil and Dela Cruz, Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Elago also officially took her oath yesterday as a member of the House of Representatives in the 20th Congress.

House Majority Leader Marcos informed the plenary that the chamber had received documents from the Commission on Elections declaring Gabriela as one of the winners in the 2025 midterm elections.

With no objection raised, Elago was called to the plenary and took her oath before Speaker Dy. She occupies the 64th party-list seat in the 20th Congress.

‘Disclose SALNs now’

Mamamayang Liberal (ML) party-list Rep. Leila de Lima yesterday reiterated her call for public officials to release their Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) to ensure transparency and accountability.

“We are one with the call for public officials to release their SALNs to ensure transparency and accountability,” De Lima said.

Pressing Congress to pass House Bill 2897 or the People’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Act of 2025, she said: “Rights and accountability must be the government’s standard operating procedure, not kickback, stealing and plunder of the government’s coffer.”