Marcos appoints Teodoro, Herbosa as new defense, health secretaries | ABS-CBN

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Marcos appoints Teodoro, Herbosa as new defense, health secretaries

Marcos appoints Teodoro, Herbosa as new defense, health secretaries

Raffy Cabristante,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Jun 05, 2023 07:59 PM PHT

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets with the newly appointed members of his Cabinet: Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa. Presidential Communications Office handout

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets with the newly appointed members of his Cabinet: Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa. Presidential Communications Office handout

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday made new additions to his Cabinet as he appointed new chiefs of the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of Health (DOH).

Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. was appointed as the new Secretary of Defense, marking his return to the post after 14 years, Malacañang said Monday.

Dr. Teodoro Herbosa was also named the first DOH secretary under the Marcos administration.

"The appointments of Teodoro and Herbosa were announced after President Marcos met with Teodoro and DND Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez, and Herbosa and Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire in separate meetings in Malacañang this afternoon," the Palace said.

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Teodoro and Herbosa both bring "extensive experience" and a "wealth of expertise" in their fields, it added.

Teodoro, who ran for senator under Marcos' Uniteam ticket in the 2022 polls, was first appointed defense secretary during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo between 2007 and 2009. During his first stint as DND chief, he was also the chair of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC).

A Bar topnotcher and a graduate of Harvard University, Teodoro also previously served as the representative of Tarlac's first district for three terms.

Herbosa, meanwhile, served as a DOH undersecretary from 2010 to 2015 and was the regional director of the department's National Capital Region office. He was also a special adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic.

Prior to his appointment, Herbosa was also a professor at the College of Medicine in the University of the Philippines Manila, and served as UP System's executive vice president from 2017 to 2021. Malacañang also said.

Herbosa's appointment as health secretary came after almost a year that the post had been vacant since Marcos assumed the presidency. Calls to appoint Vergeire were previously made, with Vergeire herself saying she was ready to take on the post.

"The hesitancies are there but sa tingin ko, baka kailangan ako ng Pilipino (perhaps Filipinos need me)," she told ANC last January.

In the absence of a DOH Secretary, Vergeire had been leading the department as its officer-in-charge.

OCTA Research, known for their advisories during the COVID-19 pandemic, welcomed Herbosa's appointment as DOH Secretary.

"We believe Dr. Ted Herbosa is an excellent choice. We look forward to supporting the DOH, Dr. Herbosa and President Marcos in their quest to realize universal health for all Filipinos."

—with a report from Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

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