Undersecretary Claire Castro’s job as the President’s spokesperson is not necessarily complicated. She acts as the official voice of the President, articulates his concerns and disseminates instructions and policy directives to both the media and the public.
Castro basically manages the image of her principal, shapes public perception and is the primary source for news about the administration.
She is more than a mouthpiece, though. As an extension of the Chief Executive, her statements are considered official pronouncements and therefore carry weight on behalf of Malacañang.
In the past, spokespersons would hardly give their opinions on any issue and would only speak as instructed. They would not personally involve themselves in any controversial matter and, in fact, would shy away from any verbal squabble or refrain from giving toxic diatribes against any person or public official.
I’m not so sure if Castro understands her unique job description, but her antics are almost diametrically opposed to what should be expected from a point person.
She’s loud, vacuous, aggressive and sometimes even seemingly witless. She picks fights with anyone, loves intrigues and would voice her opinions just about on any topic under the sun.
That she lacks strong communication, crisis management and media relations skills to navigate complex political landscapes and judiciously represent the President’s agenda is obvious from the very get-go.
Unlike most of her predecessors, she gets involved in several high-profile legal and political conflicts. There’s the P110-million libel lawsuit filed against her by Congressman Leandro Leviste, allegedly for making false claims in her vlogs regarding the sale of his solar power company.
Then, there’s the alleged death threat and the subsequent NBI report she gave recently. The threat reportedly appeared on a Facebook page associated with former Communications Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles.
Such being the case, the question in everyone’s mind is why she was hired in the first place. Despite several complaints made against her, people wonder why she is still poised to remain in office until the President finishes his term.
The answer couldn’t be simpler. She is a necessary evil — someone people would blame should everything go south. In the age of social media, being a spokesperson is not enough. She should be able to manage various narratives peddled left and right and serve as an attack dog when warranted.
True enough, while she gets all the hate, she also gets to protect the President by deflecting public wrath and enmity against him. Her job is to absorb all the anger and, at the same time, respond to all criticism with her vitriolic tirades.
For Usec. Castro, everything that happens is just another day at the office. And then some.