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Ex-PCO chief Garafil elected as House secretary general
The Philippine Star
|September 24, 2025
Former Presidential Communications Office (PCO) secretary Cheloy Garafil was elected yesterday as the new secretary general of the House of Representatives.
Her election came amid the leadership changes in the chamber following the resignation of Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez as House speaker.
Garafil replaced Reginald Velasco.
During the plenary session, House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos moved to declare the position of House secretary general vacant.
With no objection from the floor, House Deputy Speaker Janette Garin, who presided over the session, declared: “The Chair hears none, Cheloy Velicaria Garafil is unanimously elected as the secretary general of the House of Representatives.”
Garafil, who previously served as PCO chief under President Marcos, took her oath before newly elected Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III.
The chamber also elected retired Brig. Gen. Melchor dela Cruz, a former Philippine Army official, as the new sergeant-at-arms.
Garafil and Dela Cruz are the first officials appointed under Dy’s leadership.
This story is from the September 24, 2025 edition of The Philippine Star.
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