Despite the reassignment of former Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Jay Ruiz to the Manila Economic and Cultural Office as director, Undersecretary Claire Castro will remain the official spokesperson of Malacañang.

Speaking to reporters, Castro clarified that her role as Palace spokesperson is independent of Ruiz’s former position.

“I’m not pulled by Sec. Jay, it just so happened that we took our oath together,” Castro said in Filipino, emphasizing that her appointment is not contingent on Ruiz’s.

Ruiz has been replaced by Dave Gomez, a veteran publicist and former PR executive at PMFTC Inc. (Philip Morris). Gomez is now the fifth head of the PCO in the more than three-year tenure of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

In a recent television interview, political strategist Alan German weighed in on the leadership change, saying Gomez must now serve as the government’s “whip, not the cheerleader,” and lead the Palace in adopting a unified and proactive communication strategy.

“What matters is whether he can organize the Palace’s message and move from reactive to proactive communication,” German said.

Gomez, known for his “3Ps Minus One” strategy — programs and policies minus the politics — pledged to strengthen transparency, press freedom, and digital transformation under the Marcos administration.

“I am grateful to the President for the trust and confidence, and I intend to repay that trust with my 100 percent commitment and focus on this role,” Gomez said in a statement.

During the turnover ceremony, Gomez acknowledged Ruiz’s contributions and expressed appreciation for the warm welcome extended by the PCO family.

“A healthy democracy depends on an informed public. That’s why we must continue to promote government transparency, safeguard press freedom, and defend every citizen’s right to free speech,” he said.

“Access to information is not a privilege — it’s a cornerstone of accountability and public trust,” he added.