DAYS AFTER a change in its leadership, the House of Representatives elected AB Communication Arts alumna and former presidential communications secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil as its new secretary-general.
Garafil, a lawyer and former journalist, succeeded Reginald Velasco as House secretary-general and took her oath on Tuesday, Sept. 23. She will be responsible for enforcing the House’s decisions and maintaining records of proceedings.
Garafil’s election took place six days after Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez resigned as House speaker to give way to an independent investigation into the multi-billion peso flood control projects mess.
Romualdez, a cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., has been tied to an alleged scheme that granted lawmakers commissions from public works projects. The former House speaker has denied any wrongdoing, describing the accusation against him as “false” and “malicious.”
Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino Dy III, an ally of Marcos, replaced Romualdez as House speaker.
Garafil obtained her AB Communication Arts degree from the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters in 1992 and earned her law degree from the Faculty of Civil Law a decade later.
Prior to her election as House secretary general, the Thomasian alumna was the chairperson of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), the Philippines’ de facto embassy in Taiwan. MECO only performs consular roles and non-political and non-security functions since the Philippines adheres to the one-China policy.
Garafil was appointed chair of the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board in June 2022. She became the secretary of the Presidential Communications Office, the government’s lead communications arm in 2023.
Before entering government, Garafil was a reporter for various media entities, including Malaya, Associated Press and Philippine Daily Globe. She also worked as a prosecutor for the Department of Justice and media officer of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Aside from Garafil, retired Army general Melchor dela Cruz was elected House sergeant-at-arms. He will be in charge of ensuring order in the chamber, which has 317 members. F
