Cheloy Garafil

Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil is a Filipino lawyer and former journalist currently serving as the secretary general of the House of Representatives of the Philippines since September 23, 2025.

She previously served as Chairperson and Resident Representative of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office from 2024 to 2025 and shortly served as the Secretary of the Presidential Communications Office until replaced by acting secretary Cesar Chavez.

Education 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.

Career Journalism 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 (CNA) of Taiwan. The office would later be reorganized as the Presidential Communications Office on December 29, 2022. She would lead the office under a regular capacity when she took oath as Press Secretary on January 10, 2023. Acting Secretary Cesar Chavez succeeded her on September 5, 2024. Garafil was subsequently appointed Chairperson and Resident Representative of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, replacing Silvestre Bello III.

On September 23, 2025, Garafil was named as new secretary general of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, succeeding Reginald Velasco.

International Recognition

On January 23, 2026, Garafil receives Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon.

Personal life She is married to Eric Garafil, a former reporter from The Manila Times and The Manila Chronicle. They have two sons and a daughter.