Vergeire”s tenure as DOH OIC not affected by Palace memo

Department of Health officer-in-charge (OIC) Maria Rosario Vergeire said Tuesday the Palace’s memorandum circular on the tenure deadline of OICs in the Executive agencies does not apply to her.

The Health undersecretary made the clarification when asked if President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has already given an advice regarding her current OIC post.

Memorandum Circular No. 3 states that OICs are only allowed “to perform their duties and discharge their functions until 31 December 2022 or until a replacement has been appointed or designated.”

“Klaruhin po natin, I am not part or I am not affected by the memorandum circular because I am a career executive. Ito pong memorandum circular coming from the Office of the President, memo circulars 1 to 3, applies only for those non-CESOs occupying CESO position,” she said in a press conference.

“[It] did not state any deadline or timeline as to until when I will be an OIC. It specifically stated ‘This grant of authority shall take effect immediately and until a Secretary of Health has been duly appointed or unless this grant of authority is sooner revoked,’ but there is no timeline, for example, until December 31,” she added.

Vergeire was appointed as DOH OIC by Marcos on July 14. Until now, the chief executive has not yet designated a Health secretary.

Marcos earlier said that he would only appoint a Health Secretary if the country’s situation had already returned to normal in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.—LDF, GMA Integrated News

Vergeire”s tenure as DOH OIC not affected by Palace memo
Source: Filipino Viral News PH