ARTLETS ALUMNA Cheloy Garafil, who served as Presidential Communications Office (PCO) secretary from 2022 to 2024, will be named chair of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), the Philippines’ de facto embassy in Taiwan.
Malacañang announced Garafil’s designation on Thursday, Sept. 5, following the appointment of Senior Communications Undersecretary and former broadcaster Cesar Chavez as the new PCO secretary.
Garafil will replace former labor secretary Silvestre Bello III, who was designated MECO chief in 2022.
Established in 1975, MECO seeks to establish a strong relationship between Filipinos and Taiwanese, particularly in terms of investments, scientific and technological cooperatives, tourism and deployment of labor.
It performs consular roles and non-political and non-security functions usually carried out by Philippine foreign missions since the country has no embassy in Taiwan due to its one-China policy.
Garafil graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts from the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters in 1992. She earned her law degree from the UST Graduate School of Law in 2002 and passed the Bar examinations a year later. She also holds a master’s degree in National Security Administration from the National Defense College of the Philippines.
Prior to her appointment as PCO secretary, Garafil was officer-in-charge of the agency, which serves as the government’s lead communication arm.
The Thomasian alumna was appointed chair of the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board in June 2022 but was transferred to the PCO after four months.
As PCO secretary, Garafil managed state-run media entities People’s Television Network, Inc.andIntercontinental Broadcasting Corp., as well as the APO Production Unit, Bureau of Broadcast Services, National Printing Office, and News and Information Bureau.
Garafil also worked as a reporter for Malaya, Philippine Daily Globe, Central News Agency, and Associated Press. F
