PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte named Monday night, November 15, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles as acting presidential spokesperson, replacing lawyer Harry Roque who filed his certificate of candidacy for senator in the 2022 elections.

In his Talk to the People Monday evening, Duterte told Nograles to act as the presidential spokesperson for the meantime while Malacanang is looking for Roque’s replacement.

"So kung maaari ikaw na lang sana ang acting [spokesperson] na muna until we find a [replacement]. I do not want to burden you with so much, alam ko 'yung paperwork dadaan sayo eh," the President told Nograles.

Nograles is currently the head of the Task Force on Zero Hunger, but he also served as spokesperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases.

In a press briefing Tuesday, November 16, Nograles admitted that he is still familiarizing himself with the duties of a presidential spokesperson.

“Beginning today (November 16), I have been tasked to take on the responsibilities of acting presidential spokesperson on top of my duties as Cabinet secretary. This follows the decision of Secretary Roque to run for Senate in the May 2022 national elections,” he said.

Nograles thanked Roque “for his service and for being the voice and the face of the government during oen of the most challenging periods of our country’s recent history.”

He also wished Roque well, adding: “We hope that our people take into consideration his work as presidential spokesperson when they elect their senators six months from now.” (SunStar Philippines)