Ex-DTI exec Ruth Castelo tapped as new OVP spox

Former DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo has been appointed as the new spokesperson of the Office of the Vice President. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/cN6kTPzrzb

— Giselle Ombay (@giselleombay_) July 9, 2025

Former Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Ruth Castelo has been appointed as the new spokesperson of the Office of the Vice President (OVP). 

This was confirmed in a press conference on Wednesday. 

The last spokesperson of OVP under Vice President Sara Duterte was Atty. Michael Poa, who briefly served the office in 2024. Poa also previously served as spokesperson of the Department of Education (DepEd) during Duterte’s stint as Education chief.

Meanwhile, Atty. Reynold Munsayac was the OVP spokesperson from 2022 to 2023. 

Castelo, who served as DTI undersecretary from 2016 to 2023, focusing on consumer protection, said Duterte did not convince her to get the post as she personally submitted an application for any position to help the OVP. 

“I’m fortunate that I was given this trust and confidence. And my purpose of being here…is to actually highlight all the accomplishments of the Office of the Vice President,” she said. 

Asked for Duterte’s instructions to her upon appointment, Castelo said that she was told not to be an “attack dog.”

“Number one, I am not an attack dog. So, not being an attack dog, I will not go on the offensive. I will just report. I'll be straightforward, report on what message the Office of the Vice President means,” she said. 

“I will need to be firm when I need to be firm, but I need to be soft as well when I need to be soft,” she added. 

Reacting to Castelo's remarks, Duterte explained that the new spokesperson’s job is for the OVP.

“It's not political, it's not for me. So, that is why she will only bring good news, accomplishments, and announcements of the office of the Vice President,” Duterte said. 

"We do not want to besmirch the reputation of our office," she added.

Castelo also said that she applied at the OVP because she believes in Duterte and she sees herself in the Vice President, having a “never say die” attitude. 

“And of course she’s a direct extension of her father who I served for the full six year term kaya gusto ko siyang matulungan [thus I want to help her,” she explained.

‘Floating status’

Castelo also admitted that she was placed on a “floating status” at the DTI in 2023, under the Marcos administration. 

She said she left the agency in December that year on a bad note because she believed she was only doing “what was right and what the country needed.”

“I was undersecretary for the consumer protection group and I did something that any honest working official in a government would do. And I was put in hot water for that, and so I was floated and then I eventually left the Department in December,” she said. 

“Me being keen on being the spokesperson of the Office of the Vice President is my way of returning or giving back to the country what I know it deserves and what I know that it means,” she added. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News