DEPARTMENT of Health (DOH) Officer-In-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire will remain as the agency’s spokesperson.
She said that the Office of the President requested her to remain in her position as DOH spokesperson while serving as the DOH OIC..
Also, because of the heavy workload at the department, Vergeire appointed DOH Undersecretary and Health Promotions Bureau Director Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho as assistant spokesperson.
“Kapag hindi ako (if I am not) available, she will do the task for us so we can continuously inform the public,” ani Vergeire .
Vergeire also confirmed that there is a new official who will take the reins of the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC).
During the media forum yesterday at the DOH office, Vergeire said the new NVOC head will be DOH Assistant Secretary Dr. Nestor Santiago.
She said that Santiago is the incident manager of NVOC, but still needs to directly report to her.
“He is part of our field and implementation coordination team. Kasama po natin siya. He is part of our executive committee officials. He is very much capable at saka eksperto po siya sa operations” , sabi ni Vergeire.
Vergeire added that she will be still oversee the operations and if there are still targets needed for policy directions and decision making.
The DOH-OIC was the former head of the NVOC after she was appointed by former DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III last June 30, wherein she replaced former NVOC chairperson Myrna Cabotaje.
Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles earlier said that the term of Vergeire as OIC may be extended further if the current administration still fails to name the next DOH chief, as per the first Memorandum Circular issued by the new goverrnment.