*Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope, PhD, EdD, DM
While I was riding in a taxi, the driver heard the news that Lino Cayetano had been named to lead the Presidential Communications Office. He opened the conversation with a simple question.
“Wala na ba iba, sa dami ng Filipino?” sabi niya.
His remark stayed with me. It was the question of a citizen trying to understand why another familiar political name had been chosen for an important government position.
Hindi nito pinatutunayang walang kakayahan si Lino Cayetano. Ngunit may tanong na dapat pakinggan: Sa dami ng mahuhusay na Pilipino, gaano kalawak ang pagkakataon para sa mga walang kilalang pamilya?
On October 11, 2026, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that Lino would replace Dave Gomez as PCO chief, with formalization to follow. The President explained that Gomez had been bypassed by the Commission on Appointments.
Let me be clear: I have nothing against appointing the siblings, sons, or daughters of politicians, provided they are qualified and capable of serving with integrity. Hindi dapat maging hadlang ang apelyido, ngunit hindi rin ito dapat maging kalamangan. Competence, character, and performance should carry the weight.
Lino has relevant credentials. He has a background in mass communication, filmmaking, and television production, experience as a congressman and mayor, and service as PTV general manager since June 2026. It would be unfair to dismiss those qualifications simply because he is a Cayetano.
What puzzles me is the timing.
His siblings, Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano, have been identified in news reports as critics of the Marcos administration. On October 9, two days before the announcement, a Palace briefing included a response to Alan Peter’s criticism linking the administration to shifts in Senate alliances. The political tension surrounding the selection therefore deserves attention.
Hindi pananagutan ni Lino ang bawat sinasabi ng kanyang mga kapatid. They have their own views, and he has the right to serve according to his own convictions. But his selection to lead the Palace’s communications at this particular moment invites a reasonable question: What made him the strongest choice for the work that needs to be done now?
The President’s explanation tells us why a replacement was needed. A fuller explanation would help us understand why Lino was selected.
Credentials explain why someone may be considered. A clear account of the selection explains why that person was chosen.
There is also a broader concern: Sa Senado at Kongreso, usapin na ang political dynasty. Pati ba naman sa political appointments, sa parehong mga pamilya pa rin iikot ang pagkakataon?
That concern should be expressed carefully. Being the sibling of senators does not, by itself, establish unlawful nepotism. The general rule concerns specified family relationships to officials involved in appointment or supervision, subject to exceptions. The issue raised here is the concentration of political opportunity within a family, rather than a proven legal violation.
Kapag kilalang pamilya ang paulit-ulit na nakikita sa matataas na posisyon, maaaring maramdaman ng ordinaryong Pilipino na mahalaga ang kanyang boto, ngunit hindi napapansin ang kanyang kakayahan. Even a defensible appointment can leave that impression. Leaders should take it seriously.
Claire Castro’s service also deserves consideration. As PCO undersecretary and Palace press officer, she already performs a visible communications role. If the administration considers her effective, was she considered for the leadership post? Spokesperson work and organizational leadership require different abilities, but demonstrated performance within the office should matter.
The office’s purpose matters more than either personality. At a time of public scrutiny and competing political narratives, the PCO must help citizens understand decisions that affect their lives. The Palace can begin by explaining the qualifications that guided this selection and the results it expects.
Sa gitna ng narrative war, ang malinaw na paliwanag tungkol sa appointment ay bahagi mismo ng mahusay na komunikasyon.
Think of a mother seeking medical assistance, a worker worried about a new policy, or a student unsure which online claim to believe. They need answers they can use. Hindi sapat na mahusay sumagot ang isang opisyal kung pagkatapos ng sagutan ay wala pa ring malinaw na pagkaunawa ang mamamayan.
This standard applies to Castro as much as to Lino. Responding to Duterte supporters or other critics can be part of explaining the administration’s position. It would be unfair to reduce Castro’s role to attacking the DDS without assessing her work. The fair test is whether those exchanges clarify facts, answer legitimate concerns, and leave people better informed.
Correcting falsehoods requires evidence and a willingness to correct the government’s own mistakes. Kapag puro patutsada ang nangingibabaw, maaaring manalo ang opisyal sa sagutan habang natatalo ang pamahalaan sa tiwala. Communication should awaken understanding and help citizens assess policies, public spending, and official performance. Those who disagree with the President deserve the same accurate information as those who applaud him.
Is Lino’s selection intended to counter the narratives of Alan Peter or Pia? The available information does not establish that purpose. Their political differences provide context, not proof of the President’s motive. A clear mandate would help citizens judge Lino on the work entrusted to him.
Sa isang bansang may mahigit isang daang milyong mamamayan, dapat malawak ang paghahanap sa mga may talino, integridad, at malasakit. Universities, regional media, the career service, and professional communities contain capable people whose expertise may never be accompanied by political visibility.
Lino deserves a fair opportunity to prove himself. The same principle requires us to keep opportunity open to others.
Mr. President, I respect your judgment. I hope this selection produces a communications office that answers difficult questions, corrects errors promptly, and listens to Filipinos across political loyalties. Those results would do more to earn confidence than any assurance that the public should simply trust the choice.
I return to the taxi driver’s question: “Wala na ba iba, sa dami ng Filipino?”
Behind that question is a hope worth protecting: that a Filipino can prepare, persevere, and eventually be entrusted with responsibility, even without a powerful family name.
Sana kapag sinabi natin sa isang kabataan na may mararating ang kanyang pagsisikap, may maipakita tayong dahilan upang maniwala siya.
Dahil mahirap turuan ang ating mga anak na mangarap para sa bayan kung ang nakikita nilang pagkakataon ay tila para lamang sa mga anak ng makapangyarihan.
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