Marcos picks Vergeire as DOH OIC

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has designated Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire as officer-in-charge of the Department of Health (DOH).

This was announced by Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles in an interview on state-run PTV-4.

In a statement, Vergeire thanked Marcos and the nation for the chance to briefly oversee the DOH.

"Maraming salamat po sa ating Pangulo at sa bayan para sa pagkakataong ito na maglingkod," she said.

(I am deeply grateful to the President and the nation for giving me the chance to serve.) 

She said that the DOH's top priorities are to step up the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, limit the spread of the coronavirus, and protect the welfare of health workers.

"Patuloy po tayong makikipag-ugnayan sa iba't ibang sector," she said. "Wala pong maiiwan, lahat tayo magkakasama patungo sa universal health care."

(We'll keep working together with the different sectors. As we strive to attain universal health care, no one should be left behind.)

At a press conference in Malacañang, Angeles said Vergeire's term as OIC may be extended if the administration has not chosen a DOH Secretary by the end of the month, in accordance with Memorandum Circular No. 1.

"Tama po kayo na ang MC 1 nagtatalaga lang po ng OIC hanggang sa katapusan ng buwan. Ini-expect po natin na kung wala pang natatalagang pinuno ang DOH before that time ay ie-extend ang pagka-OIC. But titingnan po natin ang mangyayari during that time," she said.

(You're right that MC 1 designates an OIC only until the end of the month. We are expecting that if there's no DOH Secretary yet by that time, her designation as OIC could be extended. We'll see.)

According to Angeles, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, which is led by the DOH Secretary, will also continue its work under the new administration. 

"Hindi natin masasabi kung kailan sila magmi-meet. Ang masasabi lang natin, tuloy-tuloy naman po ang trabaho ng IATF," Angeles said.

(We cannot say when they will meet. What we can say is that their work continues.)

Meanwhile, the DOH said it appreciated "the President's confidence in one of its career executives, including the immense responsibility such trust brings."

"Each and every member of the DOH family shall work together to continue the gains instituted by previous administrations. We look forward to continuing our recovery from the pandemic, and working towards universal health care for all Filipinos," it said. 

Former Health chief and Iloilo Representative Janette Garin said she was "very proud and confident to have Rosette at the helm of the Department."

"[I] have worked with her, saw her rose from the ranks, picked her to assist me when we were cleansing FDA and placed systems in DOH operations. Later on, other secretaries of Health saw her worth and the rest is history," Garin said in a statement.

"Now, let’s all buckle down to work and immobilize/paralyze our invisible enemy, COVID-19, while at the same time picking up other public health problems affecting our country," she added.  —with Giselle Ombay/KBK/VBL, GMA News