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

In a conversation with reporters, Castro clarified that although she works under the PCO, her current role is independent of Ruiz’s former responsibilities.

“I’m not being pulled along by Sec. Jay (to MECO). It just happened that we took the oath together,” Castro said in Filipino.

Ruiz was recently replaced by Dave Gomez, a seasoned publicist and former PR executive of a tobacco company. He becomes the fifth PCO chief during the more than three-year tenure of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Meanwhile, political strategist Alan German said in a television interview that, “it’s time for Gomez to be the whip, not the cheerleader.”

Gomez, German pointed out, must lead the unification of government messaging under a coherent strategic framework.

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

Gomez, who introduced his “3Ps Minus One” strategy — “programs and policies minus the politics” — promised to promote 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 message.

During the turnover ceremony, Gomez acknowledged the contributions of Secretary Ruiz, thanking him for his service and the warm welcome from 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,” Gomez said.

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