Veteran broadcast journalist Jay Ruiz officially took his oath on Monday as the ad interim secretary of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
Ruiz vowed to support the Marcos administration in disseminating essential information to the public while actively combating fake news.
“What we want is for people to know and feel that the government is working for them. There are many programs that need to be highlighted—initiatives in education, free housing, and more,” he told reporters in Filipino when asked about his priorities as the new PCO chief.
He also stressed the importance of fighting misinformation, stating, “We need to fight fake news, especially lies, because these are the things that truly harm us.”
Ruiz replaces outgoing PCO Acting Secretary Cesar Chavez, who submitted his irrevocable resignation on February 5, effective February 28. He will be the fourth PCO chief under the Marcos administration, following Chavez, Cheloy Garafil, and Trixie Cruz-Angeles.