Concerns Rise Over Dave Gomez Appointment
MANILA, Philippines — Civil society and health organizations have voiced strong criticism against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s decision to appoint Dave Gomez as the new secretary of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO). These groups urge the Commission on Appointments (CA) to reject Gomez’s nomination when the 20th Congress convenes later this month.
The concerns center on Gomez’s long-standing ties to the tobacco industry, which critics say presents a serious conflict of interest. “This move creates a serious conflict of interest that endangers public trust, transparency, and most of all jeopardizes the health of the Filipino people,” the groups said in a joint statement released on Thursday.
Health Groups Warn of Industry Influence
Among those opposing the appointment are Medical Action Group, Child Rights Network, Psoriasis Philippines, Healthy Philippines Alliance (HPA), HPA – Youth Network, Social Watch Philippines, Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations, Youth for Mental Health Coalition, Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development Foundation Inc., and HealthJustice Philippines.
The coalition warned that placing someone with a history of promoting tobacco interests at the helm of government communications threatens to turn official messaging into a platform for industry influence. “Placing someone who spent years advancing the interests of this harmful industry at the helm of government messaging undermines the very principles of public service. It risks turning the government’s voice into a vehicle for industry influence, weakening hard-won gains in tobacco control and public health,” the statement explained.
Tobacco Industry’s Toll on Filipinos
The groups underscored the tobacco industry’s devastating impact, linking it to widespread addiction, chronic diseases, and the premature deaths of over 100,000 Filipinos annually. They also stressed that Gomez’s appointment blatantly violates the World Health Organization–Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC), a treaty the Philippines has ratified.
“The FCTC obliges governments to protect public policies from the vested interests of the tobacco industry. Installing a former industry insider in a role that shapes public opinion directly contravenes these commitments and sets a dangerous precedent,” their statement added.
Calls for Careful Review by Commission on Appointments
The groups urged the CA to consider the serious implications of approving Gomez’s appointment. Confirming him, they said, would mean endorsing someone who helped promote addiction to lead national discourse. “Confirming this appointment is an endorsement of placing an architect of addiction in charge of shaping national discourse. Such a move gravely undermines the principle that public office is a public trust and opens the door for other harmful industries to gain influence in government,” they warned.
They also pledged to closely monitor Gomez’s role to ensure his tobacco industry connections do not interfere with advancing the public’s welfare or grant undue favor to an industry responsible for death and disability in millions of Filipinos.
Background on Dave Gomez’s Industry Ties
Before joining the PCO, Dave Gomez served as the communications director for Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. Inc. (PMFTC), the Philippine affiliate of Philip Morris International. He spent more than 23 years in corporate communications for the cigarette manufacturing giant.
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