MANILA — Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said he went through gender sensitivity training after comments he made online at the height of the pandemic earned him the ire of social media users.

Facing the powerful Commission on Appointments’ Committee on Health for the second time, Herbosa acknowledged the pain and fear that he had brought to artist Ana Patricia Non, whom he red-tagged for setting up a community pantry during the pandemic lockdowns.

He even identified Non as "Ka Patreng", implying that she is a communist.

• Patricia Non hailed as one of ‘real-life heroes’ of pandemic in QC

"I've made a formal apology and I continue to apologize for that and respect the rights of people who want to actually get food or give food that need it at the time of epidemic like what happened to us," Herbosa said.

He resigned as executive vice president of the University of the Philippines after the negative comments his post prompted.

• Teodoro Herbosa leaves post as UP Vice President after online flak

Herbosa also posted a caricature of a father and a son talking about rape, romance and marriage. He said he deleted it two hours after posting and after some of his UP colleagues called his attention to it.

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"For the joke that I posted, I was immediately informed by our Gender and Women Studies to take it down. And within two hours I actually took it down. And I think the spread was more of — the people who captured it and they circulated it," he said.

"I also underwent gender sensitivity training for a day with the head herself of the Gender and Women Studies because of this post," Herbosa said.

"Now I’ve learned the value of respecting women. And Number 2, and also for community pantries, respecting the rights of people who are expressing their opinions," Herbosa added.

It was Sen. Risa Hontiveros who asked Herbosa about the issue during Tuesday’s CA hearing.

"Can this body be given a commitment by the good secretary that this conduct will not be repeated?" Hontiveros asked.

"I have already learned the past few days that any comment made by the secretary before the media is taken as a policy. I will be careful... regarding the lessons I've learned in the past,” he said.

NO 'WALKING PNEUMONIA' YET

In the same hearing, Herbosa reported that there is no “walking pneumonia” outbreak yet in the Philippines.

Still, he reminded everyone to protect themselves against sickness.

"Totoo po not only in China but now other countries in Europe have recorded increase in respiratory illness in children," he said.

"Attributed po ito sa hindi bagong virus. Previous microbes, microplasma pneumonia, yung Respiratory Syncytial Virus at saka yung influenza. Sa Philippines po, wala pang outbreak according to our epidemiology bureau, although marami ang cases," Herbosa said.

"Because ito po talaga yung season ng respiratory illness and my advices is the same, yung natutunan natin nung COVID, yung social distancing at saka pagsuot ng face mask, cough etiquette para hindi magkahawaan. Kung may sakit ang bata, wag nang papapasukin para hindi makahawa ng ibang bata sa eskwelahan," he said.

As for the yet to be completed release of health workers’ Health Emergency Allowance, Herbosa assured the body that the agency makes yearly requests for allocations to settle their obligations to healthcare workers who served on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"At this rate, posibleng natatantsa ng department na within 3 years mababayaran niyo na po yung utang pa nating HEA sa health workers?" Hontiveros asked.

"Yes. madam chair. Or shorter, hopefully," Herbosa said.

The CA Committee on Health chaired by Senator Christopher Go later approved Herbosa's nomination on the panel level.

This will still be voted on by the CA in plenary.