Marcos taps Lino Cayetano for top communications post

National

LINO Cayetano is set to become the next chief of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Cayetano would replace Dave Gomez, whose appointment was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments. The transition is expected to take effect upon the President’s return to the Philippines, pending the completion of the necessary formalities.

“I guess immediately…the ad interim will take his (Gomez) place… That’s more or less the situation,” he said in a Philstar report.

Cayetano, who was appointed general manager of state-run People’s Television Network (PTV) last June, will be the sixth official to head the government’s principal communications office under the Marcos administration.

His predecessors include Gomez, lawyer and vlogger Trixie Angeles, veteran broadcaster Cesar Chavez, former television reporter Jay Ruiz and Cheloy Garafil, now secretary general of the House of Representatives.

Before joining PTV, Cayetano served as representative of Taguig’s second district during the 13th Congress and as the city’s mayor. He has also directed shows for major Philippine television networks and co-founded production company Rein Entertainment.

He is the younger brother of Senators Alan and Pia Cayetano, both critics of the Marcos administration. During the 2025 elections, Alan backed incumbent Taguig first district Rep. Ading Cruz against his younger brother, who lost his congressional bid.

Marcos also confirmed that Aguda had stepped down as chief of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), following an announcement by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Saturday.

The President linked the departure to the Ombudsman’s investigation into alleged irregularities involving the department’s connectivity projects, including claims of non-operational sites and the delivery of substandard equipment and services under an alleged “ghost internet” scheme.

Marcos also dismissed speculation that Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon would return to the Department of Transportation, saying no transfer was planned at present.(MyTVCebu)