Marcos appoints Lino Cayetano as Philippines communications chief

Lino Cayetano (pictured, right), general manager of state-run People’s Television Network (PTV), has been named the next secretary of the Philippines’ Presidential Communications Office (PCO), marking another leadership change in the government’s communications arm.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed the appointment on 11 October during a press conference in Singapore, as quoted by local media, saying Cayetano would replace Dave Gomez, whose appointment was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments.

He added that the change would take effect upon his return to the Philippines, pending formalisation.

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Cayetano will become the sixth PCO chief since Marcos took office in 2022. The office coordinates communications on behalf of the executive branch and the Office of the President, including government policies, programmes and official activities, as well as media relations.

His appointment comes as the administration continues to see changes in its communications leadership. Previous PCO chiefs include Trixie Cruz-Angeles, Cheloy Garafil, Cesar Chavez and Jay Ruiz, before Gomez assumed the post in July 2025.

Cayetano was appointed general manager of PTV in June 2026. Before joining the state-run broadcaster, he served as mayor of Taguig City from 2019 to 2022 and represented the city’s second district in the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2016.

He is also a co-founder, producer and director at Rein Entertainment, and has directed television programmes for major Philippine networks.

The latest appointment follows another Cabinet departure, with Marcos confirming that information and communications technology secretary Henry Aguda had stepped down amid an investigation into alleged irregularities involving government connectivity projects.

In a statement, Cayetano said government media, including PTV, would play a key role in making President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s messages and government programmes more accessible to the public. He aims to build on his predecessors’ work and ensure Filipinos receive timely, accurate and effective information.

Cayetano also plans to expand grassroots communication by strengthening engagement with local government units, communities, religious institutions and other organisations. He emphasised the importance of listening to the public and maintaining face-to-face engagement alongside digital communication to improve the reach of government information.

To combat fake news, Cayetano said the PCO would strengthen collaboration with media organisations, noting that disinformation also harms journalists and news outlets committed to accurate reporting. He plans to explore ways to work with media and government leaders to help Filipinos access reliable information.

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