CA bypasses confirmation of Ted Herbosa as DOH Secretary

Health Secretary Teodoro Javier Herbosa bares his priority actions before the Commission on Appointments’ Committee meeting on the deliberation of his ad interim appointment as health chief on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. Herbosa said that during his tenure, he will prioritize the following: 1) Ending tuberculosis in the country; 2) Reaching annually 95 percent fully immunized child nationwide; 3) And decreasing malnutrition by as much as 50 percent. (Joseph B. Vidal/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Appointments (CA) on Tuesday bypassed the confirmation of Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa as health secretary.

The deliberations on Herbosa’s appointment took almost four hours before CA Majority Leader and Camarines Sur 2nd District Representative Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. moved to suspend the confirmation of Herbosa’s appointment.

Villafuerte cited “lack of material time” as the reason.

Senator and CA committee on health chairperson Bong Go seconded and approved the motion.

Camarines Sur Second District Representative Representative Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. poses questions to Health Secretary Ted Herbosa during the cabinet member’s confirmation hearing at the Commission on Appointments on September 26, 2023. (Photo screengrabbed from live hearing in Senate)

Congress will go on break on Wednesday and will resume session in November.

Under Section 20 of the New Rules of Commission, suspension shall not apply to appointments taken up by CA during the last session prior to a sine die adjournment.

This means the appointment was effectively bypassed.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri confirmed this outcome.

“Yes, he was bypassed due to lack of material time. But he will be taken up again when we get back in November,” Zubiri told reporters.

Herbosa was appointed health chief by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in June 2023.

Prior to his current post, he served as DOH undersecretary from 2010 to 2015.

He was also special adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic, providing projections, analyses, and recommendations to government on matters relating to the deadly virus.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa faces Commission on Appointments as he seeks his confirmation on September 26, 2023. He was bypassed by lawmakers. (Photo screengrabbed from live hearing in Senate)

Some health workers asked CA to reject Herbosa’s appointment

Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) on Tuesday released a statement repeating their opposition to Herbosa.

The group alleged Herbosa did not possess the qualities “a good DOH chief must possess.”

They accused him of being a notorious red-tagger, and an alleged implementer of anti-health worker and anti-people policies.

RELATED STORIES:

Herbosa as health chief draws both approval, disapproval

DOH Sec. Herbosa: I apologize for things I have said before

APL/abc