DURING his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. laid out an ambitious and encouraging road map for the country’s health care sector. His message reflected a clear commitment to improving the delivery of health services, expanding access to quality care and strengthening the public health system for every Filipino.
As the president spoke, the camera frequently focused on the newly appointed Secretary of Health. While this is customary during major national addresses, it is important to recognize that many of the initiatives highlighted during the SONA were the result of months — if not years — of planning and work by the Department of Health (DOH) and its career professionals. Having assumed office only a few days before the SONA, the new secretary had little opportunity to shape or implement these programs.
Leadership, however, is not measured by appearances during national events. It is measured by sound judgment, thoughtful decision-making and the ability to inspire confidence within an institution that directly safeguards the lives of millions of Filipinos.
One of the secretary’s first actions upon taking office was the reassignment of several undersecretaries and directors to different positions. Such organizational changes are, at times, necessary.
However, they should ideally be based on careful assessment, performance, institutional knowledge and strategic planning. When major personnel movements are made within hours of assuming office and are subsequently withdrawn just days later, it naturally raises questions about whether those decisions were sufficiently informed and deliberated.
Equally concerning are reports that procurement for anti-tuberculosis medicines and related supplies has been placed on hold. Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the Philippines’ most serious public health challenges, with the country continuing to rank among those with the highest TB burden globally. Any disruption or delay in ensuring the availability of essential TB treatment deserves careful public explanation, given its potential impact on patients and the national TB control program.
The DOH is not simply another government agency. It is entrusted with protecting the health and well-being of over 100 million Filipinos. Every decision made within its leadership carries consequences that can affect hospitals, health care workers, disease prevention programs, and ultimately, human lives.
The president has articulated a clear vision of leaving behind a stronger, more accessible and more resilient health care system. Achieving that vision requires a DOH led by individuals whose competence, experience and judgment inspire confidence across the medical community and the Filipino public.
Appointments to such a critical office should never rest on influence, political connections or reputation alone. They must be grounded in demonstrated capability, strategic leadership and a deep understanding of the country’s health care challenges.
The Filipino people deserve nothing less than a DOH led by a secretary who can translate the president’s vision into meaningful, measurable and lasting improvements in the nation’s health care system. Leadership in public health is not about occupying an office — it is about earning the trust of the people through informed decisions, accountability and unwavering commitment to public service.
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What was she thinking?
Last week, Sen. Pia Cayetano spliced a video clip of the exchange between her brother Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano and party-list representative Chel Diokno and tried to make it appear the latter was admitting the request to subpoena the bank records of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, lawyer Mans Carpio, was nothing but a fishing expedition.
She was present during that particular proceeding of the impeachment trial so it would be safe to assume she was very much aware that was not the gist of the exchange. And as a lawyer, she should have been aware that what she had done violated the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability, which prohibits lawyers from engaging in “unlawful, dishonest, immoral or deceitful conduct.”
And for that, she is now facing an ethics complaint in the Senate after a group of women’s rights advocates, student leaders and civil society groups filed a complaint with the Senate ethics committee against her.
According to the group, “the deliberate editing of official impeachment proceedings to mislead the public is not merely a political act, it is a serious ethical issue that strikes at the integrity of the Senate as an impeachment court.”
“Deliberately omitting Rep. Diokno’s legal explanation to invert the meaning of his statement constitutes active, calculated deceit. Sen. Pia S. Cayetano engaged in an artifice designed to deceive the viewing public into believing that Rep. Diokno confessed to an improper legal maneuver,” the group added.
Well, not only that. From what we’ve heard, a petition to disbar her is also in the pipeline.
With her brother also facing another non-bailable case, and another ally, Sen. Robinhood Padilla, also facing charges for obstruction of justice in relation to Sen. Ronald dela Rosa’s escape, we hope to see less of their circus acts in the impeachment trial as they prepare for their own legal battles.
