By Alec Go
Former Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. has been appointed as the new secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND) and former COVID-19 task force adviser Dr. Teodoro Herbosa as secretary of the Department of Health (DOH).
The appointment by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. was announced on Monday by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
This followed the separate meetings of the President with the two new officials, together with DND Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr. and Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire.
Teodoro served as the secretary of the DND and as chairperson of the National Disaster Coordinating Council during former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration, and as a three-term lawmaker for the First District or Tarlac.
He was the top of his class when he graduated law at the University of the Philippines and earned the top spot at the 1989 Bar examinations. He also has a master’s degree in law from Harvard.
Prior to this, he graduated from De La Salle University with a bachelor’s degree in commerce, majoring in financial institutions.
Meanwhile, Herbosa served as DOH undersecretary from 2010 to 2015 and as executive vice president of the University of the Philippines System from October 2017 to April 2021.
He also headed the Division of Trauma at the Department of Surgery, Philippine General Hospital, chaired the Board for Physicians for Peace Philippines, and also served as the third vice president of the UP Alumni Association.
Herbosa was also a special adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19 in the previous administration, and taught at the Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan in Kuala Lumpur and at the College of Medicine in the University of the Philippines Manila.
The PCO noted that Herbosa has experience and expertise in healthcare systems, public health, hospital administration, as well as emergency and disaster medicine.
Herbosa graduated with a degree in biology and medicine at the University of the Philippines and had postgraduate studies in medicine at Tel Aviv University. He also holds an international Diploma Course in Emergency and Crisis Management from the University of Geneva.
The DOH welcomed Herbosa on Monday while assuring “all-out support” during the transition period.
“Maasahan po ng ating bagong kalihim, Secretary Ted, ang taos pusong suporta ng buong DOH family,” DOH Usec. Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire said. – gb