Three senior officials of the Department of Health (DOH), including its prominent Covid-19 spokesperson, are no longer part of the agency’s Executive Committee (Execom), according to updates on the DOH’s official website.
Undersecretaries Maria Rosario Vergeire, Achilles Gerard Bravo, and Kenneth Ronquillo have been removed from the current Execom roster.
Their names no longer appear alongside Health Secretary Ted Herbosa and other top officials.
The Execom serves as the DOH’s top-level policymaking and coordination body, which includes the health secretary, undersecretaries, and assistant secretaries, and is responsible for major operational and strategic decisions.
Vergeire became a familiar face to the public during the Covid-19 pandemic, frequently appearing in briefings and media interviews as the agency’s chief spokesperson.
She also served as DOH officer-in-charge (OIC) before Herbosa was appointed by President Marcos.
In a brief statement, DOH Spokesperson Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo did not provide further details, noting that the matter is personal.
“Decisions of Execom members leading to their separation from the service (e.g., retirement, resignation, etc.) are personal in nature and treated with the utmost respect as to privacy,” he said. (Jel Santos)
