Here's what to know about Daphne Oseña-Paez, Malacañang's newest 'press briefer'
Malacañang has named television host and former news reporter Daphne Oseña-Paez as President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s new "press briefer" on Tuesday, Dec. 20.
Office of the Press Secretary officer-in-charge Cheloy Garafil announced this to Palace reporters during a briefing, as she formally welcomed Paez into the role.
“Simula ngayong araw ay may bago tayong makakasama sa bawat briefing na gagawin. Siya ang magiging tagapaghatid ng balita at impormasyon tungkol sa mga gawain at proyekto ni Pangulong Marcos. [I]pinakikilala namin sa inyo ang bagong Malacañang press briefer, si binibining Daphne Oseña-Paez," Garafil said.
In detailing her duties as press briefer, Paez said that she is tasked to "regularly be the source of updates from the Palace."
"My role here is to amplify and to communicate the message of President Marcos and the Cabinet, and the government. I will be here to brief you every Tuesday, regularly, after Cabinet meetings," she added.
As this is her "first time to work directly for the government," she said that she is honored to have gotten the opportunity of "communicating the message and programs of this administration in an accurate and effective way."
She clarified, however, that her role is not that of a presidential spokesperson, "The President will speak for himself. I am just here to support the Office of the Press Secretary for now."
Before this new position in the government, Paez is most known for being a television host and news reporter for ABS-CBN, having worked on the weekly lifestyle magazine program F! with her co-hosts Angel Aquino and Cher Calvin from January 1999 to February 2006.
In a television interview last year, Paez revealed that she only took the role of a television host on a "whim." She originally wanted to find employment in Toronto, Canada as an urban planner or work in the field of municipal governance. This was fueled by her degree in art history with a major in urban studies she got from the University of Toronto.
Paez is also an activist with a focus on fighting for the rights of women, children, and the environment. In 2019, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) added her, along with Anne Curtis, into their long list of Goodwill Ambassadors who actively support and promote children’s rights and their well-being.
Garafil also added that Paez is currently striving to get her advanced certificate in environmental management.
In 2010, the television personality entered the furniture industry with her brand "Daphne," where she designs and produces chairs, sofas, beds, and tables handcrafted by furniture makers from Pampanga.
She is married to journalist and news executive Patrick Paez and is a mother of three daughters.