New DND, DOH chiefs named

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has appointed Gilbert Teodoro Jr. and Teodoro Herbosa as secretaries of the Department of National Defense (DND) and Department of Health (DOH), two Cabinet positions long held by officers-in-charge.

With Marcos’ appointment yesterday of Teodoro and Herbosa, only the Department of Agriculture remains without a permanent chief. The President concurrently heads the DA.

The two new officials are no newcomers in government.

Teodoro, a lawyer, handled the same position during the Arroyo administration. He was the youngest to hold the position at the age of 43.

As DND chief, he also served as chairman of the then National Disaster Coordinating Council. Before his first Cabinet position, Teodoro was representative of the First District of Tarlac from 1998 to 2007.

Teodoro has a degree in Commerce, major in Financial Institutions from De La Salle University.

He finished law at the University of the Philippines and topped the 1989 Bar exams. He obtained a master’s degree in law from Harvard University.

A nephew of tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., Teodoro was part of the legal team that defended Marcos in the disqualification cases filed before the Commission on Elections against Marcos’ candidacy for president.

Teodoro was a Leadership Awardee and Seminar Academic Excellence Awardee during his stint with the Air Command and Staff College, Air Education and Training Command, Philippine Air Force Command and Staff Course in 2001.

In 2003, he attended the Joint and Combined Staff Officers Course, Class Nr 1, JCSC at Camp Aguinaldo, where he was also a leadership awardee.

Teodoro lost his bid for the Senate last year under the ticket of Marcos. As the endorsed successor of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, he also lost the presidential race in 2010.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD), which is under the DND, was among the first to welcome Teodoro’s appointment, describing him as a good choice judging from his track record.

“He’s a good official based on his performance before,” OCD Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno said after hearing news of the new appointment.

“And the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) officers respect him,” Nepomuceno added.

DOH chief

A medical doctor, Herbosa, on the other hand, “brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise in health care systems, public health, hospital administration, emergency and disaster medicine,” the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said.

He obtained his medical degree from UP Manila and his bachelor’s degree in Biology from UP Diliman.

In a short statement, the DOH said it is committed to providing all-out support for Herbosa. “The new (DOH) secretary, Secretary Ted, will have the full support of the whole DOH family,” said Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

Herbosa’s educational background also includes an International Diploma Course in Emergency and Crisis Management from the University of Geneva and Postgraduate Studies in Medicine from the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University.

He served as DOH undersecretary from 2010 to 2015, contributing to various initiatives such as the Hospital Accreditation Commission, Modernization of the Philippine Orthopedics Center and promoting public-private partnerships in health.

He also served as director at the DOH-National Capital Regional Office.

From October 2017 to April 2021, Herbosa served as executive vice president of the UP System.

He held various key positions, including chief of the Division of Trauma at the Department of Surgery, Philippine General Hospital; chairman of the board for Physicians for Peace Philippines and 3rd vice president of the UP Alumni Association.

International experience

Herbosa served as a professor in the Emergency Department at Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and at the National University of Malaysia.

His numerous international roles and collaborations include serving on the board of directors for the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Medical Consultant/Adviser for the Australasian Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians in Melbourne, Australia; Regional Education Coordinator for the HOPE Program (Hospital Preparedness and Emergencies) at Johns Hopkins University Center for International Emergencies, Disasters and Refugee Studies.

Herbosa served as a special adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19, offering expert guidance and contributing to the formulation of strategies to mitigate the impact of the virus.

He also worked as an international consultant in several countries, including Palau, Maldives, Malaysia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam, Tunisia and Thailand, making notable contributions to emergency medicine and trauma care.

“Herbosa’s involvement in the development of the STOP DEATH Program and his membership in the Safe Surgery Saves Lives Global Task Force, which developed the WHO safe surgery checklist, further demonstrate his dedication to improving healthcare systems,” the PCO said.

Prior to his appointment, Herbosa was a professor at the College of Medicine in UP-Manila.

The PCO announced the appointments after Marcos’ separate meetings with Teodoro and DND Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez, as well as with Herbosa and Vergeire at Malacañang yesterday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion lauded Marcos’ appointment of  Herbosa and Teodoro, calling them “more than qualified.”

“We congratulate Dr. Herbosa for his appointment as DOH secretary. I am confident that with him at the helm, the DOH is in good hands and our country’s health care would be in a better situation,” Concepcion said.

Concepcion added that Herbosa’s vast experience would be put to good use in his new position.

Concepcion was among the first to recommend Herbosa as DOH chief when President Marcos assumed office last year.

Herbosa also provided valuable guidance and advice to Go Negosyo’s efforts through the Advisory Council of Experts against COVID-19, especially on its “A Dose of Hope” initiative that helped inoculate millions of workers.

As for Teodoro, Concepcion said his experience as defense chief during the Arroyo administration would help the Marcos administration’s efforts to defend and protect the country. — Rhodina Villanueva, Michael Punongbayan