Herbosa no-show in Senate DOH budget hearing

Manila Bulletin

Senators on Thursday, September 28 questioned the absence of Dr. Teodoro “Ted" Herbosa in the Senate Committee on Finance’s deliberations on the proposed 2024 budget of the Department of Health (DOH). (Video Courtesy of Senate of the Philippines)  READ: https://mb.com.ph/2023/9/28/herbosa-no-show-in-senate-doh-budget-hearing  Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin  Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletin Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin  #ManilaBulletinOnline #ManilaBulletin #LatestNews

Transcript

00:00 Administratively, who is in charge?

00:05 Who is in charge?

00:06 Who will take the cudgels in defending the budget of this big department?

00:11 We don't have a secretary here.

00:14 I'm a member of the Commission on Appointments.

00:19 The hearing was just suspended, so it would result in the big B.

00:26 So who is in charge is going to present?

00:28 Is there an acting secretary?

00:30 Is there an officer in charge who will be responsible for all of these budget presentations,

00:38 Madam Chair?

00:39 Otherwise, we're talking to a clustered group of individuals.

00:45 They're not headless, Your Honor.

00:48 Actually, all of the senior members of the team approached me a while ago, and they acknowledged

00:57 that of course it is a bit of an awkward situation.

01:00 But as you all know, Dr. Usec Verheere was the OIC for many years and was very actively

01:09 exercising her leadership, not just in the past year, but even during the time of President

01:12 Duterte.

01:13 And Dr. Usec David is the most senior undersecretary.

01:18 So I am quite confident in the presentation today that they can answer.

01:24 But I told them to be candid with us if they are asked about a specific policy of the secretary

01:29 or the incoming secretary that has yet to be confirmed.

01:33 They should be candid and tell us if they know, they don't know, and if it is an ongoing

01:38 policy that they can further explain, then they should explain.

01:41 So just be candid with us.

01:42 That's my instructions to them.

01:43 The reason I asked that, Madam Chair, is that budget presentations would require answers

01:49 concerning accountability, and perhaps the head of the department should be the one doing

01:56 that.

01:57 Otherwise, we'll be in an autopilot mode.

02:01 So anybody can be accountable?

02:06 My understanding is, and that's why actually I'll show you, I have a text from our majority

02:11 floor leader.

02:12 I am asking for guidance from Malacanang, because if the interim appointment will be

02:19 given anyway, then malas ko lang that my hearing is two days after the CAO bypassed him.

02:27 But I'm very happy to conduct a follow-up hearing if there are senators who would want

02:34 to hear directly with him.

02:35 On my part, as soon as he was appointed, I have been in communication with him.

02:39 So ako wala akong problema to conduct this hearing as scheduled.

02:44 But that is an offer I'm making for all of the senators who would want to hear from the

02:50 Secretary himself.

02:52 But with respect to policies of the various attached agencies and the programs, they have

02:59 a very competent team.

03:00 So I'm happy to conduct a follow-up hearing.

03:01 Thank you.

03:01 [END]

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