Garin: Herbosa’s DOH post will depend on CSC, DOJ ‘input’

Jee Y. Geronimo

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Garin: Herbosa’s DOH post will depend on CSC, DOJ ‘input’
Acting Health Secretary Janette Garin says the health department has asked the civil service and justice agencies to clarify the status of the undersecretary

MANILA, Philippines – Acting Health Secretary Janette Garin had asked the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to clarify if Ted Herbosa will really be back in the health department as undersecretary.

“We made a clarificatory question with the Civil Service and DOJ, hihintayin po namin ‘yung sagot. Dr Ted Herbosa claims na pinapabalik siya sa DOH. If he wants to stay naman, he’s welcome to stay in the department,” she said on the sidelines of the Department of Health’s (DOH) budget hearing at the Senate.

(We made a clarificatory question with the Civil Service and DOJ. We will wait for the answer. Dr Ted Herbosa claims he is being asked to return to DOH. If he wants to stay, he’s welcome to stay in the department.)

But when it comes to the position, she said, DOH is leaving it to CSC and DOJ to “provide an input.” (READ: Janette Garin: DOH Acting Secretary or OIC?)

Her statement comes after Malacañang on Friday, November 21, said only the President can relieve presidential appointees like Herbosa. (READ: Palace: Herbosa still health undersecretary)

Herbosa revealed in an interview with Rappler that Garin had “tried to fire” him by withdrawing an earlier request made by Health Secretary Enrique Ona to renew Herbosa’s secondment contract with the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila.

Herbosa said Garin did not know the contract was already renewed prior to Ona’s month-long leave. Herbosa was an associate professor in UP before his appointment as undersecretary in 2010.

He also clarified the secondment contract is only about the “transfer” of his salary and benefits from UP to DOH and has nothing to do with his position as department undersecretary.

“Obviously she’s firing me – that’s very clear. She has no power to fire me because she didn’t hire me. The one with the power to fire is the one who hired me – the President,” Herbosa told Rappler.

Open lines

After the Palace announcement, Garin reportedly clarified with Malacañang if she is being instructed to sign Herbosa’s secondment contract and was told it was just a statement of fact.

On Monday, she said she was surprised with Herbosa’s accusations, but expressed her willingness to talk to him anytime.

Aside from Herbosa, 4 other members of the health department’s executive committee were affected by recent changes in the central office. (READ: Garin under fire over DOH ‘revamp’)

The changes happened barely a month after Garin took the position of acting secretary following the month-long leave of Ona that is supposed to end on November 28.

Aquino earlier said he had asked Ona to go on leave to “prepare answers” to his questions on the government’s vaccination campaign, and the balance between preventive and curative aspects of public health.

The National Bureau of Investigation is looking into DOH’s purchase in 2012 of one million units of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine 10 (PCV 10) – a vaccine used for the immunization of infants and children against pulmonary diseases – worth over P833 million.

Complaints from some sectors alleged that DOH procured PCV 10 vaccines instead of a “more cost-effective” vaccine, the PCV 13.

Aquino had said that his satisfaction with Ona’s performance would depend on how well he explains his side on the vaccination controversy against him.  Rappler.com

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Jee Y. Geronimo

Jee is part of Rappler's Central Desk, handling most of the world, science, and environment stories on the site. She enjoys listening to podcasts and K-pop, watching Asian dramas, and running long distances. She hopes to visit Israel someday to retrace the steps of her Savior.