Video courtesy of PTV

MANILA - A group of private hospitals has recommended government adviser Dr. Ted Herbosa as the next health secretary, its president said Thursday.

President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has yet to name his health chief.

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"Meron po kami nire-recommend. Hopefully siya po ang tanggapin ni President-elect Marcos. But of course, the final decision ay sa kanila pa rin po. Ang amin pong nire-recommend ay si Dr. Ted Herbosa," said Dr. Jose Rene de Grano, president of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines.

(There's someone we recommend. We hope he will be appointed by President-elect Marcos, but of course the final decision will be his. We recommended Dr. Ted Herbosa.)

Herbosa is an adviser of the National Task Force against COVID-19.

He was Department of Health Undersecretary from 2010 until 2015, and Executive Vice President of the UP System from 2017 until 2021.

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Meantime, De Grano assured that private hospitals are ready in the event of another COVID surge. Majority of admissions in private medical facilities are currently non-COVID patients, he said.

"Kami po namang private hospitals, we’re always ready for the COVID cases. 'Di naman po sinasara itong ating COVID areas. We’re prepared to admit these patients," he said.

(Private hospitals are always ready for COVID cases. We don't close our COVID wards.)

"Ang magiging problema lang natin (ay) kung magkakaroon tayo ng maraming cases and then magkulang ang ating healthcare workers, especially the nurses."

(The problem will be when we will have many cases and we will have a shortage of healthcare workers especially the nurses.)

More than half of private hospitals' staff have left to go abroad to seek higher pay and benefits, he said.

Private hospitals continue to dialogue with the DOH for health workers' One COVID allowance, he added.

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