Cheloy V. Garafil MNSA | |
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![]() Garafil in 2022 | |
Chairperson and Representative of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Philippine Representative to Taiwan) | |
Assumed office October 1, 2024 [1] | |
President | Bongbong Marcos |
Preceded by | Silvestre Bello III |
Secretary of the Presidential Communications Office | |
In office October 7,2022 OIC until January 10,2023;Position was known as the Press Secretary until December 29,2022 –September 5,2024 | |
President | Bongbong Marcos |
Preceded by | Trixie Cruz-Angeles (Press Secretary) |
Succeeded by | Cesar Chavez (Acting) |
Chairman of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board | |
In office June 30,2022 –October 7,2022 | |
President | Bongbong Marcos |
Preceded by | Martin Delgra III |
Succeeded by | Teofilo Guadiz III |
Personal details | |
Born | Pura,Tarlac,Philippines |
Alma mater | University of Santo Tomas (BA,LL.B) National Defense College of the Philippines (MNSA) |
Occupation | Lawyer |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | ![]() |
Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil is a Filipino lawyer and former journalist who serves as the Chairperson and Resident Representative of Manila Economic and Cultural Office. She previously served as the Secretary of the Presidential Communications Office until replaced by acting secretary Cesar Chavez. [2]
Garafil attended the University of Santo Tomas (UST) where she graduated with a communication arts degree. She later pursued law studies in the same university,then passed the bar examination in 2003. [3]
Prior to working in the government,Garafil served as a reporter for the newspaper Malaya . She also worked for the Philippine Daily Globe and the Central News Agency of Taiwan. [3]
Garafil worked as a prosecutor for the Department of Justice during the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. [3]
On October 7,2022,Garafil resigned as chair of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to assume the position of Officer in Charge of the Office of the Press Secretary. [4] The office would later be reorganized as the Presidential Communications Office on December 29,2022. [5] [6] She would lead the office under a regular capacity when she took oath as Press Secretary on January 10,2023. [7] Acting Secretary Cesar Chavez succeeded her on September 5,2024. [8] Garafil is now the Chairperson and Resident Representative of Manila Economic and Cultural Office. [9] Garafil replaced Silvestre Bello III as MECO Chairman.
She is married to Eric Garafil,a former reporter from The Manila Times and The Manila Chronicle . They have two sons and a daughter.