This Cayetano has Palace backing—as new PTV 4 boss
At least one Cayetano is in Malacañang’s good graces.
President Marcos has appointed film director and former Taguig City congressman and Mayor Lino Cayetano as the new general manager of the state-run People’s Television Network (PTV 4), the Palace said on Wednesday.
The announcement came on the same day Lino’s elder brother, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, had his three-week-old grip on the Senate presidency shaken with the formation of a new majority in the chamber and its appointment of an “acting Senate President.”
This was after Alan Peter and his allies in the previous majority continued with their “boycott” of the plenary session for the third day.
The 48-year-old Lino is replacing Malou Choa-Fagar, who had served as PTV 4’s head since August last year, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
‘Wealth of experience’
“Former Mayor Cayetano brings with him a rare wealth of experience from the media, the private and the public sector that would certainly take PTV 4 to greater heights in our ever-evolving multimedia landscape,” the PCO chief, Secretary Dave Gomez, said in a statement.
There was no official explanation from the PCO regarding the sudden leadership change in PTV 4.
Before entering politics, Lino was a TV and film director for more than 15 years, doing projects for major Philippine networks. He studied filmmaking at the University of the Philippines and later at the New York Film Academy.
He was elected barangay chair of Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, in 2010, before serving as congressman of the Taguig-Pateros 2nd congressional district from 2013 to 2016.
He was elected Taguig mayor in 2019, but did not seek reelection in the 2022 local polls to give way to the candidacy of his sister-in-law Lani Cayetano, Alan Peter’s wife.
Soured ties with brother
The rift between the brothers came into full view in May 2025, when Lino ran for congressman of Taguig-Pateros’ first district but lost to Ricardo Cruz, who was backed by Alan Peter and Lani.
In October 2025, Senator Cayetano called for the mass resignation of officials and proposed a snap election for elected officials in the executive and legislative branches in the wake of the public works corruption scandal.
Lino, in a social media post, challenged his brother to lead by example and “give up power” by resigning from the Senate.
“If you truly believe what you say, then trust and have faith that if some of the old guard step down now, it will inspire others to follow,” Lino told his brother.
