Vergeire says DOH secretary post not offered to her

Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said Thursday President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos did not offer her the post of Health secretary and she has reservations about it.

“Honestly, it was not offered. I was asked to be an OIC. I was able to explain to them also my reservations and he just said, ‘You just continue to do the work and we will discuss further,’” Vergeire said in an ANC interview.

Vergeire, a career official and with the DOH for almost 30 years, said she wanted to continue serving the public even after the administration's six-year term or until she retires.

"Kapag may term po kasi tayo (If we have a term) it's only six years and by the time I finish the six years, I still have years left to serve. I want to still serve until I retire," she said.

A Cabinet secretary is coterminus with the appointing authority.

In a separate radio interview, Vergeire asked the public to just wait for the announcement of the President on the next DOH chief.

“We just wait for the decision of the President. Tuloy-tuloy pa rin naman ang trabaho (the work would continue) whether we get the secretary post or not,” she said in the same radio interview.

'Very qualified' Cascolan

Meanwhile,  Vergeire backed the appointment of former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Camilo Cascolan as undersecretary of the agency, saying that he is “very qualified” based on his credentials.

“Ang sa atin na lang po, paano ba mas makakatulong ang mga taong naa-appoint at pinapasok sa kagawaran natin. So let’s see. Hindi pa natin nakikita, hindi pa natin nasususbukan. Makikita ho natin ‘yan,” she answered when asked for reaction regarding the clamor that those appointed in the DOH should have a background in medicine or public health.

(For me, it’s how the people who are appointed and admitted to our department could help more. So let's see. We haven't seen it yet, we haven't tested it yet. We will determine that soon.)

“I think he is very qualified naman doon sa kanyang mga credentials na nakalagay diyan. Meron naman tayong mga trabaho dito na kailangan din natin talaga ng for operations,” she added.

(I think he is very qualified with his credentials listed there. We also have jobs which need people for operations.)

Vergeire said applications of those vying for high level positions in the government are transmitted to the Office of the President, and the President would then have the prerogative whether or not they will be appointed.

“Lahat naman po ay bibigyan natin din syempre ng opportunity at binigyan sila ng ganitong appointment ng ating Presidente. We will be assigning him kung saan ang proper naman dito para makatulong din siya sa Kagawaran ng Kalusugan,” she said.

(We will give everyone an opportunity and our President also gave him this appointment. We will be assigning him where he is fit so that he can also be of help to the Department of Health.)

Cascolan’s appointment has been met with criticisms, with the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) and ACT Teacher's party-list Representative France Castro saying it was an "insult to" and a "slap in the face [of]" experts who are more qualified for the position.

The retired police general defended himself, saying his expertise on emergency response, network, and experience will "play a great role in bringing health closer to the people."

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said Cascolan will have administrative functions at DOH, and will not look at health issues.

Vergeire said Cascolan’s assignment in the DOH will be announced in the coming days, after they determine which role suits him most based on his credentials.—AOL, GMA News