Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has named former Taguig City mayor and PTV General Manager Lino Cayetano as the new secretary of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), replacing Dave Gomez, whose appointment was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments (CA).
Marcos confirmed the leadership change during the “Kapihan with the Media” news conference in Singapore on Sunday, October 11, ending Gomez’s 15-month tenure as head of the government’s communications office.
“Dave was bypassed. So I think the best to take his place would be Lino,” Marcos said.
Cayetano, who currently serves as general manager of the state-run People’s Television Network (PTV-4), will become the sixth official to lead the PCO under the Marcos administration.
His appointment comes just four months after he was named PTV-4 general manager in June 2026, replacing Maria Lourdes Choa-Fagar.
Gomez’s 15-month tenure
Gomez, a former journalist and corporate communications executive, assumed leadership of the PCO in July 2025, succeeding Jay Ruiz.
His appointment as acting secretary was announced on July 10, 2025. He took his oath before then-Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin the following day and was subsequently sworn in by Marcos on July 14.
Before joining the administration, Gomez held senior communications positions at Philip Morris International and its Philippine affiliate, Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation.
Upon taking office, Gomez introduced a communications strategy centered on transparency, press freedom, and digital transformation.
The Palace has yet to announce Cayetano’s successor as PTV-4 general manager.
