Verbal spat to ‘power hug’: Castro, Magalong strike a friendlier note

MANILA, Philippines — From verbal exchanges to a “power hug,” Palace press officer Claire Castro and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong appear to have put their past differences behind them.

At a briefing on Friday, Castro said she interacted with Magalong during the ceremonial turnover of Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Assistance Program (DRRAP) funds to local government units at Malacañan Palace the previous day.

READ: Castro hits Magalong over 6-year rock-netting investigation

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The two officials were also all smiles as they posed for a selfie on the sidelines of the event.

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“Kay Mayor Benjie Magalong nagkataon po na nandoon siya noong nakausap po natin si Mayor Leni Robredo kaya lumapit po ako sa kaniya at nakipagkamay at mayroon pang big hug—may power hug kay Mayor Benjie Magalong,” said Castro, recalling her interaction with Magalong and Robredo.

(When it came to Mayor Benjie Magalong, he happened to be there when we spoke with Mayor Leni Robredo. So I approached him, shook his hand, and even gave him a big hug—a power hug.)

“At sinabi ko sa kaniya [Magalong] na magkakaroon kami ng regional briefing bago mag-end ng November sa Baguio at saka sa Benguet at sinabi ko sa kaniya na kami ay magko-courtesy call sa kaniya at ikinasiya naman po niya dahil bago pa kami nagkausap ay alam na pala niya iyong schedule ng press briefing namin doon,” she added.

(I also told him [Magalong] that we would be holding a regional briefing in Baguio and Benguet before the end of November, and that we would pay him a courtesy call. He was pleased because, even before we spoke, he already knew about the schedule of our press briefing there.)

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READ: Castro on Magalong’s resignation: He did it ‘voluntarily’

Magalong previously mentioned Castro as the reason behind his resignation as special adviser to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) in October 2025.

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The mayor said he felt insulted after Castro announced that he had no authority to conduct an investigation and that his appointment was under review.

Castro, for her part, disputed Magalong’s account, saying she could not control how the mayor felt and that he had voluntarily resigned from his post.

In August 2026, Castro once again hit back at Magalong after he criticized the slow progress of the Marcos administration’s investigation into anomalous flood control projects.

“If someone like Mayor Benjie Magalong feels that things are moving too slowly, let’s go back to the stories and accounts from 2019. Mayor Benjie Magalong admitted that he had already started investigating the rock-netting issue back in 2019,” said Castro at a briefing.

In 2019, Magalong flagged allegedly overpriced and defective rock-netting and rock-shed projects along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet, pointing to what he described as deep-seated corruption.

“According to Senator Trillanes, allegedly, it seems that there may be a name that he is afraid might be exposed. In an interview on October 20, 2025, Mayor Magalong also admitted that he had already started investigating the rock netting issue as early as 2019. But six years have passed, and he still has not done anything about the rock-netting issue,” said Castro.

Interview with Robredo

During today’s briefing, Castro said Robredo expressed gratitude for the DRRAP funds, which she said would help Naga City prepare for and recover from disasters.

“Iyan po ang ikinasiya ni Mayor Leni Robredo dahil—lalo na ang Naga, lalo na iyong Bicol Region, iyan ay nakakaranas kadalasan ng kalamidad, alam po natin iyan,” she said, citing her interviee with the former vice president.

(That was what made Mayor Leni Robredo happy, especially since Naga City and the Bicol Region frequently experience calamities, as we all know.)

“At ayon sa kaniya, mayroon nga raw pondo na kulang sa 2027 budget para sa kanilang Oplan Kontra Baha, at napakalaking tulong nga raw po ito na ibinigay ng national government sa Naga City dahil lalo nilang mapapaayos ang kanilang mga drainage lalo na’t iyon ang nagiging dahilan ng pagbaha sa kanila,” she continued.

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(According to her, there was a funding shortfall in the 2027 budget for their Oplan Kontra Baha. She said the funding provided by the national government to Naga City would be a big help in improving their drainage systems, especially since these have been a cause of flooding in the city.) /mr