President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sworn in on Monday veteran broadcast journalist Jaybee “Jay” Ruiz as Secretary of Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
Secretary Ruiz, who replaced PCO Chief Cesar B. Chavez, said President Marcos instructed him to ensure that accurate information about the government’s programs and services are conveyed directly to the people.
The President wants information on government programs and services made accessible to the people so that they can avail of them easily.
“Sabi niya (President Marcos) dapat malaman ng ordinaryong Pilipino ang lahat ng mga programang nakakatulong sa tao. Tao muna bago ang lahat,” Secretary Ruiz said in an interview.
Meanwhile, the President also sworn in Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Clarissa Castro.
The new PCO secretary is expected to infuse new messaging strategies, further enhance public trust in official communications, and combat fake news and disinformation.
Secretary Ruiz said that the PCO under his leadership will build upon “providing clear, precise, informative and educational information” to allow the public to make informed decisions.
Fighting fake news will be among his priorities, the new PCO chief said. “Kailangan sa totoo tayo, hindi sa kasinungalingan. Bawal ang sinungaling.”
With his vast experience in media, public relations, and governance, Secretary Ruiz is well-positioned to bridge the gap between the administration and the Filipino public, ensuring transparent, credible, and effective government communication.
Prior to his PCO appointment, Secretary Ruiz served as the Senior Vice President for Business Development at Istratehiya Inc., a company specializing in political management, surveys, and campaign strategies at both local and national levels.
He spent more than two decades in broadcast journalism, primarily with ABS-CBN News, where he served in various capacities, including senior reporter, correspondent, and alternate anchor for TV Patrol Weekend, contributing stories to the network’s flagship news programs such as Bandila, The World Tonight, ANC, and DZMM.
Secretary Ruiz also worked as a political and media consultant at the Office of the Senate President (2016-2018). This cemented his role as a key figure in political communications.
The new PCO chief graduated from the University of the Philippines-Diliman, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication (1998). He also pursued graduate studies in Communication at Ateneo de Manila University.
Palace Press Officer Lawyer Castro, on the other hand, graduated from the University of Santo Tomas (UST), with a degree in AB Political Science. She earned her Bachelor of Laws degree at the same university.
Castro is a trial lawyer at The Law Office of Clarissa Castro and a radio commentator at DZXL News “Usapang Batas (2022-present); Abante Teletabloid “Asintado” (2021-2022); DZMM “Usapang de Campanilla” (2007-2020); and DZMM “Relos Reports with Atty. Kiko” (2000-2001).
She was also a columnist at Abante and became a TV Host at ABS-CBN Corp., and UNTV News and Rescue. | PND
