Gibo Teodoro, Ted Herbosa take oaths before Marcos as Defense, Health chiefs

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. administered the oaths of office of newly-appointed Defense and Health chiefs, Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. and Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, respectively.

The oath taking took place inside Malacañang on Tuesday morning.

The Presidential Communications Office announced the appointments following separate meetings with Teodoro and former Defense officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez Jr, and Herbosa and Health officer-in-charge Ma. Rosario Vergeire on Monday afternoon.

Marcos earlier said a reorganization could happen in his Cabinet as the appointment ban on losing candidates who ran in last year's elections ended on May 9, 2023.

The President said he was keen on appointing to certain positions some individuals who are now no longer covered by the prohibition.

Department of National Defense (DND) officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez Jr. on Tuesday welcomed the takeover of Teodoro as the new secretary of the department.

Teodoro, who ran for senator in Eleksyon 2022, was defense secretary during the term of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

He also assumed the role of Chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) during his tenure as Secretary of Defense.

Teodoro was also a three-term member of the House of Representatives when he represented the first district of Tarlac.

Herbosa meanwhile was undersecretary of the Department of Health from 2010 to 2015.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Herbosa served as special adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19 in which he provided guidance and contributed to the formulation of strategies to address the impact of the coronavirus. —KG, GMA Integrated News