DOH OIC Vergeire: “Right now, I think based from these six months or more, I am ready.”
VERGEIRE – Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said that she’s ready to be appointed as Health Secretary.
To recall, Malacañang announced that Vergeire was appointed as DOH OIC last July 14, 2022.
In an interview on Tuesday, she was asked if ever she will be appointed as the next secretary of the health department.
“Right now, I think based from these six months or more, I am ready,” she said in an interview on ANC. “But the hesitancies are there, but sa tingin ko, baka kailangan ako ng Pilipino.”
She previously expressed reservations about being appointed as Health Secretary, saying that she wanted to continue serving the public even until she retires or after more than a six-year term.
Vergeire had also said that she will leave it up to the President whether or not he will appoint her as Health Secretary.
READ ALSO: Senate President Zubiri Recommends Vergeire To Be DOH Secretary
During the press forum on Tuesday, she explained that she still needed to discuss the matter with the President. She shared that her experiences connecting with Filipinos and diverse groups had shown her potential to spearhead DOH changes.
Vergeire was also asked if she still has hesitations. According to her, she has hesitations but she remained firm that she wants to help the Philippines.
“The hesistancies will always be there there are a lot of issues, considerations, pero syempre mananaig pa rin kung ano talaga ‘yung gusto mong gawin and sa tingin ko I’ve reached that point na ito na ‘yung time para makatulong talaga ko sa ating bansa,” she said.
To recall, it was last October 2022 when President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said that he would only appoint a Health Secretary if the situation in the Philippines returns to normal in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.
“The reason is I want people to understand that this is the government’s work, not everything is a crisis, so inormalize natin ang trabaho ng gobyerno. That is what I am trying to do, so that everyday functions are fulfilled, everyday without fuss, without bother, without gulo, without fixers, without paying, ‘yan ang inaayos ko,” the President said at that time.
According to a report, the Health Secretary post has remained vacant since President Bongbong Marcos took his oath as President last June 2022.
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