Marcos tells PCO chief Ruiz: Carry on with the job
PCO Secretary Jay Ruiz (File photo)
MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered Secretary Jay Ruiz to continue serving as head of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
“Ayon po sa Pangulo at ayon na rin po kay Secretary Jay, sabi po ng Pangulo ay magtuluy-tuloy lang po sa kanyang [PCO Chief Ruiz] pagtatrabaho (According to the President and also according to Secretary Jay, the President said he should just continue with his work),” PCO Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday.
The Commission on Appointments (CA) was scheduled to deliberate on Ruiz’s appointment on June 3 but deferred it due to a lack of material time.
Castro clarified that the CA’s action will not affect the PCO’s ongoing campaign against fake news and disinformation.
“Hindi naman po [makakaapekto]. Kung sino man po ang namumuno sa PCO, iyan din po ang magiging direktiba ng Pangulo: kalabanin at pahintuin hangga’t maaari ang fake news (It won’t affect it. Whoever heads the PCO, the President’s directive will remain the same: fight and stop fake news as much as possible),” Castro said.
Earlier, three media groups expressed support for Ruiz, saying he has the “professionalism, journalistic integrity, and capacity to lead government messaging in a time of high public demand for truth and accountability.”
The groups that expressed support include the Publishers Association of the Philippines Inc. (PAPI), the Justice Reporters’ Organization (JUROR), and the Soccsksargen Press Club.
In a statement, JUROR cited Ruiz’s newsroom experience, which “makes him uniquely positioned to handle the rigors of public communication.”
