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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider No inconsistency in messaging despite having different maritime spokespersons—Palace

No inconsistency in messaging despite having different maritime spokespersons—Palace

Published Feb 10, 2026 05:06 pm
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Palace Press Officer Claire Castro (Betheena Unite)
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Palace Press Officer Claire Castro (Betheena Unite)
Despite the Philippines having multiple spokespersons on maritime, the country's stance and messaging over maritime issues will remain consistent and unified, Malacañang said.
The existing spokespersons tackling maritime issues, such as the West Philippine Sea and National Maritime Council, and the newly-installed spokesperson for maritime affairs deal with different topics, Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said.
While their priorities differ, they will remain aligned to what President Marcos wants—firm yet diplomatic approach, the Palace official said.
"So, nagkakaisa naman po, aligned naman kung ano ang gusto ng Pangulo – firm pero diplomatic. So, hindi naman po nagkakaiba-iba. Iba lang po siguro ang kung papaano nila ito ihayag dahil iba naman din po iyong kanilang ipinapahayag – iyong isa polisiya, iyong isa naman po ay operations (However, they are united and aligned with what the President wants—firm yet diplomatic. So there is no real inconsistency. The difference lies only in how they express it, because what they are conveying also differs: one is about policy, while the other is about operations)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday, Feb. 10.
"Iba-iba po kasi ang kanilang goal, iba-iba po ang kanilang pagiging spokesperson, iba-iba iyong kanilang topic. Pagdating po sa DFA, it’s more on the policy. Pagdating po, let’s say, sa Philippine Coast Guard, sa operations sila. So, magkaiba po kasi ang magiging mensahe ng Philippine Coast Guard as compared sa DFA (They have different goals, different spokespersons, and different topics. When it comes to the DFA, it is more focused on policy. When it comes, for example, to the Philippine Coast Guard, they are focused on operations. That is why the message of the Philippine Coast Guard differs from that of the DFA)," she also said.
On Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced the appointment of Deputy Assistant Secretary Rogelio Villanueva as the DFA spokesman for maritime affairs.
According to the DFA, the move was in response to Marcos' order to bolster the agency's "central role in state-to-state engagement and to prioritize diplomacy in advancing the national interest."
Villanueva is the first-ever spokesperson for the country's maritime affairs.
READ MORE: PH appoints first maritime affairs spox

Related Tags

maritime affairs spokesperson DFA President Marcos West Philippine Sea
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