TWO new members of the Marcos Cabinet will join the administration this week, one year since the start of term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
They are Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro, former representative of Tarlac who will take his old post as secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND), and Dr. Ted Herbosa as head of the Department of Health (DOH).
Their appointments were both announced by the Presidential Communications Office Monday, following speculation on social media that one — at least that of Teodoro — a couple of days before the official announcement. This makes Teodoro the first appointee among those who ran and lost in the 2022 national elections.
Secretary Teodoro is a come-backing DND chief, having held the position during the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Teodoro has extensive experience in both the private and the public sectors to handle the defense portfolio.
A lawyer, Teodoro served for three terms as a member of Congress, representing the first district of Tarlac, and chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council. But he needs a lot of catching up to do as regional geopolitics and international defense issues have changed a lot since the last time he was in office in Camp Aguinaldo. He is starting his second stint at DND with the two world powers — the United States and China — ramping up competition for influence in this part of the world, and smaller nations in the Asia-Pacific like the Philippines are forced to survive in the maelstrom of this contest.
‘At the moment, we are content that these two important positions in the executive department have been filled by relatively qualified professionals, as we await the designations in the Department of Agriculture and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.’
As to Dr. Ted Herbosa, being a physician is not his sole qualification. He was DOH undersecretary from 2010 to 2015, and worked well with government as medical adviser of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 during the Duterte administration.
Those who believe in Herbosa’s ability and qualifications said they are confident that with him at the helm, the DOH is in good hands and our country’s health care would be in a better position.
While many welcome these two appointees, there are also those who, by reason of their political commitments, would take the contrary position. Others have become overnight experts on defense issues. ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said Teodoro should concentrate on “external aggression as the tensions in the West Philippine Sea and the Taiwan Strait continue to escalate due to Chinese actions.” She also pushed the revival of the peace talks between the National Democratic Front of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the government, as if this sensitive issue is solely within the DND chief’s authority.
Most everybody has an opinion on the two incoming Cabinet secretaries though the final word will come from the Commission on Appointments. At the moment, we are content that these two important positions in the executive department have been filled by relatively qualified professionals, as we await the designations in the Department of Agriculture and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
