"Just tell the truth."

This was President Marcos' only instruction to the new Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Acting Secretary Cesar Chavez as he took over the helm of Malacañang's communication arm.

Marcos said this as he administered Chavez' oath in Malacañan on Thursday, Sept. 5. He officially replaced lawyer Cheloy Garafil who is bound to be the new chair of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan.

In a Facebook post on Thursday evening, the President expressed confidence that Chavez will fulfill his duty as the head communicator of the Administration's policies.

"My only instruction to him: Just tell the truth," he wrote.

"I have full trust that he will continue to serve with the same dedication and excellence that he has demonstrated in over three decades of public service; ensuring that the work we do is communicated effectively and immediately to the Filipino people," he added.

The President likewise noted that "it has come full circle" for Chavez as the latter has served in the government for the past six administrations.

"I am the sixth president that he has served, which speaks volumes of the man’s capabilities. In these six successive administrations, he has performed exceedingly well in various positions in government," Marcos said.

"We even worked alongside each other as former members of the 1992 Congress," he shared.

Chavez shared with Malacañang reporters after he took his oath his plans as the new PCO acting secretary; including ensuring early announcements of class and work suspensions, the designation of fact-checkers in State-run news organizations, and helping President Marcos explain and expound on his policies and decisions.

Chavez, a veteran radio broadcaster, is the third PCO secretary under the current administration.

New Youth Commission chair takes oath

President Marcos likewise administered the oath of new National Youth Commission (NYC) Chairperson Joseph Ortega and NYC Commissioner-at-large Karl Josef Legaspi in Malacañan on Thursday.

According to Marcos, the Filipino youth will be more empowered under the leadership of the two NYC leaders.

"I’m confident that under their leadership, we will empower the youth with voices that are heard at the highest levels of government," he said.

"With their dedication and experience, we will shape a brighter future for young Filipinos who will fulfill our vision of an inclusive, prosperous, and energetic Philippines," he added.

The PCO earlier said that Ortega's appointment is part of the administration's commitment to empowering the Filipino youth and ensuring their voices are represented at the highest levels of government.

The new NYC chairperson is the brother of former La Union governor Francisco Emmanuel “Pacoy” Ortega III.

Prior to his appointment, Ortega served as the Regional Director of the Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 1 since 2019, where he spearheaded numerous initiatives to boost regional tourism and promote sustainable development. He was the youngest to be appointed to the position.

Ortega replaced Duterte Youth Partylist Chairman Cardema who was first appointed to the post in 2018. He left NYC to run for the House of Representatives but was blocked by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from taking a seat. He returned to the NYC in 2020.