Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil is a Filipino lawyer and former journalist who serves as the

Secretary A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a ...

of the

Presidential Communications Office The Presidential Communications Group, or simply the Communications Group, is the collective name for the offices within the Office of the President of the Philippines and refers to the position of the Office of the Press Secretary, formerly kn ...

Education

Garafil attended the

University of Santo Tomas The University of Santo Tomas (also known as UST and officially as the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, Manila) is a private, Catholic research university in Manila, Philippines. Founded on April 28, 1611, by Spanish friar Mig ...

(UST) where she graduated with a communication arts degree. She later pursued law studies in the same university, then passed the

bar examination A bar examination is an examination administered by the bar association of a jurisdiction that a lawyer must pass in order to be admitted to the bar of that jurisdiction. Australia Administering bar exams is the responsibility of the bar associa ...

in 2003.

Career

Journalism

Prior to working in the government, Garafil served as a reporter for the newspaper ''

Malaya Malaya refers to a number of historical and current political entities related to what is currently Peninsular Malaysia in Southeast Asia: Political entities * British Malaya (1826–1957), a loose collection of the British colony of the Straits ...

''. She also worked for the ''Philippine Daily Globe'' and the Central News Agency of

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northe ...

Government

Garafil worked as a prosecutor for the

Department of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...

during the administration of President

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, House Deputy Spe ...

On October 7, 2022 Garafil resigned as chair of the

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board ( Abbreviation: LTFRB; Filipino: ''Lupon sa Pagpaprangkisa at Regulasyon ng Transportasyong-Lupa'') is an agency of the Republic of the Philippines under the Department of Transportation ...

(LTFRB) to assume the position of Officer in Charge of the

Office of the Press Secretary The White House Office of the Press Secretary, or the Press Office, is responsible for gathering and disseminating information to three principal groups: the President, the White House staff, and the media. The Office is headed by the White House ...

. The office would later be reorganized as the

on December 29, 2022. She would lead the office under a regular capacity when she took oath as Press Secretary on January 10, 2023.

References

Date of birth missing (living people) Living people Bongbong Marcos administration cabinet members University of Santo Tomas alumni Filipino newspaper people Year of birth missing (living people) {{Philippines-politician-stub