Palace defends ‘jet-setter’ Gen Z’s appointment as Urban Poor commissioner

MANILA — Malacañang on Tuesday defended the appointment of Zofia Canlas as a commissioner of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor saying the 27-year-old, who has been described online as a young jet-setter, has previous experience in the agency.

Critics have questioned the appointment of a biology major who graduated in 2024 to a panel tasked to facilitate demolition and eviction activities involving informal settlers in urban areas.

Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told Palace reporters that Canlas had previously served as chief of staff to PCUP chairperson Michelle Ann Gonzales.

“So ang trabaho sa loob ng Presidential Commission for Urban Poor ay hindi na po bago kay Ms. Zofia Canlas,” she said.

(So Ms. Zofia Canlas is familiar with the work of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor.)

She said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. does not appoint officials based on their social standing.

“Kung ikaw ay may kakayanan na magtrabaho, magsilbi para sa bayan, iyan po ang Numero Uno para sa pangulo — ang totoo at dedikado, may dedikasyon na makapagsilbi sa bayan,’” she said.

(If you have the capacity to work, to serve the country — that is what the president counts most. The true and dedicated, those who are dedicated to serving the country.)

The PCUP has a 2026 budget of around P250 millio, according to documents from the Department of Budget and Management.

Of this amount, P89.35 million will be spent for the salaries of 163 personnel, including P8 million for the compensation of four commissioners, and another P2.5 million for the annual pay of its chairperson.

Among the PCUP’s tasks is evaluating shelter-related projects in informal settler and resettlement areas in consultation with the communities and planning and monitoring projects “for the development of urban poor communities.”

Castro also defended the existence of the PCUP, whose mandate could be given to housing or social welfare agencies.

 “Sila ang nakikipag-negotiate, sila ang gumaganap kung ano ba ang kailangan ng ating mga kababayan na nataguriang informal settler para kung ililipat man sila ay hindi magiging mabigat sa kanilang balikat,” she said.

(They negotiate on behalf of the informal settler families, they take on the families’ needs so if they need to be relocated, it will not be as heavy a burden.)

Asked why Marcos Jr. appointed a biology graduate instead of someone with a law background, Castro said that is only required for some PCUP tasks like filing and responding to cases.

“Pero ang pakikipag-negotiate para sa ating mga kababayan na nasa laylayan ng lipunan, hindi po kailangan lawyer,” she said.

(But one doesn’t have to be a lawyer to negotiate on behalf of fellow Filipinos on the margins of society.) 

She urged the public to give Canlas a chance.