Marcos reappoints Ted Herbosa as health secretary

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has reappointed Dr. Ted Herbosa as Secretary of Health.

The Presidential Communications Office on Friay announced that Herbosa would serve as interim secretary.

Marcos appointed Herbosa as his health secretary in June.

Prior to that, he served as a special adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19 at the height of the pandemic.

He was also an undersecretary of the Department of Health during the administration of the late President Benigno Aquino III.

During the CA deliberations, Herbosa said that among his priorities during his tenure are: ending tuberculosis in the Philippines; reaching 95% fully immunized children nationwide annually; and decreasing malnutrition by as much as 50%

Malacañang also announced the following appointments:

• Former Armed Forces chief retired Gen. Andres Centino as Presidential Assistant for Maritime Concerns, with a rank of secretary;
• Lorna Francisca Catris Cheng, Ma Consejo Gengos-Ignalaga, and Raymond Joseph Javier as associate justices of the Court of  Appeals;
• Henry Angeles as associate justice of the Court of Tax Appeals; and
• Juliet Manalo-San Gaspar as associate justice in the Sandiganbayan

The Commission on Appointments on Tuesday bypassed Herbosa's ad interim appointment by Marcos due to “lack of material time.”

In an interview, Sen. Bong Go said that the CA panel suspended the deliberations as many lawmakers had yet to question Herbosa, but the Senate has a scheduled session at 3 p.m. and the House of Representatives had a leadership meeting.

“Wala naman pong opposition or any written opposition, wala naman po,” Go said.

(There’s no opposition or any written opposition.)

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri confirmed that Herbosa’s appointment was technically bypassed, considering that Congress ajourned on September 29.

The bicameral commission cannot tackle any appointments within the session break.

“Yes he was bypassed due to lack of material time. But he will be taken up again when we get back on November,” Zubiri said.

Article VII, Section 16 of the Constitution states that the President “shall have the power to make appointments during the recess of the Congress, whether voluntary or compulsory, but such appointments shall be effective only until disapproved by the Commission on Appointments or until the next adjournment of the Congress.”

Herbosa during the CA panel deliberations said the DOH push for the legalization of the use of marijuana or cannabis for medical purposes.

“We will pursue this and make sure that medical marijuana law will be passed,” Herbosa said.

According to him, importing medical cannabis in the country is very hard despite having a compassionate use permit because a doctor first has to request paperwork from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Camarines Sur 2nd District Representative Luis Raymund “Lray” Villafuerte Jr. welcomed Herbosa’s stand on the matter, stressing that applying for a compassionate permit in the Philippines was tedious and that its importation cost a lot of money.

He pointed out that over 60 countries have already legalized medical cannabis, appealing to Herbosa to study and push for the same.

Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 states that the government should “achieve a balance in the national drug control program so that people with legitimate medical needs are not prevented from being treated with adequate amounts of appropriate medications, which include the use of dangerous drugs.”

Herbosa has said he was not in favor of cultivating and manufacturing marijuana in the country.

The DOH chief said medical cannabis would be beneficial for those suffering from cancer, glaucoma, and seizure disorder, among others. —NB, GMA Integrated News