Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6) — Several lawmakers on Tuesday expressed optimism over the choice of Ted Herbosa and Gilbert Teodoro to lead the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of National Defense (DND), respectively.
Leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives said the two new Cabinet members would be a “big boost” to the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
\”Their appointments should give a big boost to our fight to have a secure and a stronger nation supported by a healthy population,\” said Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri.
\”Their appointments also mean that the president is bent on finding the best and the brightest to join him in serving our people,\” said House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Herbosa served as DOH undersecretary from 2010 to 2015 and held the post of regional director at the DOH National Capital Regional Office.
He also served as special adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19.
Meanwhile, it would be Teodoro’s second stint as Defense chief after leading the agency during former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration from August 2007 to November 2009.
He was also the First District representative of Tarlac from 1998 to 2007.
Lawmakers expect Herbosa and Teodoro to efficiently address the current health and security issues in the country.
\”Both have prior experience in the field already. Hence, they can hit the ground running,\” said Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel.
He added that it will be a challenge for Herbosa to minimize the wastage of purchased and donated COVID-19 vaccines.
\”DOH’s new approach should be ‘value for money’ and ‘put value in all our resources,\” Pimentel said. \”Hence, DOH should not be wasteful and value even those items donated to us.\”
Senator Grace Poe, meanwhile, stressed the critical roles of the two newly appointed officials.
\”The new secretaries are crucial in deciding and implementing strategies in addressing the various health issues we are facing and in upholding the country’s territorial integrity against various threats,\” she said.
Meanwhile, House Deputy Minority leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro said that it would be \”a novel and a good move\” if Teodoro would call for the resumption of the peace negotiations between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines so that the Armed Forces of the Philippines could focus on \”foreign aggressors.\”
She added that Herbosa \”would truly serve the interest and health issues of the Filipino people and not just engage in red-tagging or trolling.\”
