MANILA, Philippines — Palace Press Officer Claire Castro on Wednesday said she was delighted when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addressed her as “Ante Kler” for the first time since her appointment in July 2025.
Her nickname, after all, transcends political colors.
Whether Marcos loyalists, Diehard Duterte Supporters (DDS), or Kakampinks who backed former Vice President Leni Robredo’s 2022 presidential bid, netizens, especially those who watch her regular press briefings or YouTube vlog, have grown accustomed to calling her Ante Kler.
“It warms the heart because the president himself has said the name, Ante Kler. That is an endorsement,” Castro said during a press briefing in Malacañang.
READ: Marcos: Sara Duterte’s smear campaign claims ‘fake news’
Asked if it was an endorsement for a possible bid for elective office in the 2028 elections, Castro coyly denied it.
“It is just support for the name Ante Kler. Don’t worry, I have already registered it,” she said.
Castro calls her fans and followers “Ka-Clear” as she clarifies the Marcos administration’s position on various issues.
Her bashers, meanwhile, call her “Anti Clear.”
“What can we expect from them? They will never understand my piece, my statement, even if it is clear enough for them to understand,” Castro said in an interview in August 2025.
Her remarks came amid recent attention surrounding her role as Palace press officer and de facto spokesperson for the administration and Marcos.
READ: PCO’s Gomez on keeping Claire Castro: ‘She’s doing a fine job!’
During a press conference in Singapore on Oct. 11, Marcos clarified that his earlier use of the word “buwaon,” or “liar,” was not directed at Vice President Sara Duterte.
Rather, it was his reaction to claims by his critics that the administration was moving to amend the Constitution to cancel the 2028 elections and extend his presidential term.
“I just got this report, and I asked her, ‘Is it true that this report came out?” Marcos said.
“She thought what I said was for a press release. Silly you, Ante Kler,” he added.
Castro told Marcos, “Sorry, sir,” prompting laughter from reporters and government officials present. /mcm
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