NOT EVEN A long list of formal complaints in view of one irregularity after another, seemed enough reason for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to fire Health Secretary Ted Herbosa.
The reason — Herbosa’s relation by affinity (or consanguinity) to the mother of the President who wields the power to appoint or fire Cabinet-level government posts.
According to Palace sources, Herbosa has remained “immovable” from the Department of Health primarily because of his relatives in power. Marcos (the appointing authority), former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and even Ambassador to the United States Manuel ‘Babes’ Romualdez are reportedly backing up Herbosa.
“Herbosa has reportedly been lucky to have a Romualdez in his corner, the kind of protection that has helped him cling to the Health Secretary post for nearly three years like a blood-sucking tick that refuses to let go,” reads part of a report released by Bilyonaryo News Channel.
ROMUALDEZ, AS USUAL
According to its source, Herbosa has gained a new lease on life at the DOH after reportedly being backstopped by Ambassador Babes Romualdez.
It said Malacañang was ready to pull the trigger on Herbosa weeks ago and was already vetting several candidates to replace him (with one a Filipino doctor with famous Hollywood clients), until Babes allegedly stepped in to his rescue.
Herbosa is also reportedly personally close to Babes, while Martin is his fraternity brother in Upsilon Sigma Phi at the University of the Philippines.
It is public knowledge that Martin moved heaven and earth to secure Herbosa’s appointment and keep him in place despite criticism over his performance and a tenure tainted by corruption allegations. When Martin lost the Speakership last September amid the so-called flood-control scandal, many believed Herbosa’s days were numbered, Bilyonaryo explained.
BARRAGE OF ANOMALIES
In recent months, corruption allegations have piled up against Herbosa. Some DOH employees have accused him of a conflict of interest, claiming he crossed the line by keeping cozy social ties with Zuellig Pharma even as the company was allegedly an active bidder for DOH projects.
Then there is the P1.29 billion money trail, for which DOH employees asked the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate, with the cash transfer to UNICEF for vaccines and essential medicines that they alleged remained unliquidated from February 2024 to July 30, 2024.
The employees also claimed that while that amount was still unaccounted for, Herbosa approved another UNICEF vaccine purchase worth P524.9 million, a move they say violated Commission on Audit rules and a DOH memorandum barring new fund transfers until earlier ones are liquidated.
Herbosa is taking heat over claims that P98 million in public funds went to a DZMM program produced by Media Serbisyo Production Corporation, owned by Franco Reyes, the husband of DOH Health Promotion Bureau Director Tina Marasigan.
Herbosa, Marasigan, and Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo are listed as anchors of the show on the radio station owned by Martin.
Herbosa is also weathering the storm with another Romualdez as his main backer. The real question is whether Herbosa’s latest lifeline is a genuine reprieve or simply a delay, as corruption allegations and internal unrest continue to rumble inside the DOH.
REPLACEMENT DEFERRED
Relatedly, columnist Ramon Tulfo wrote three weeks ago that US-based Filipino doctor Dr. Ronald Rigor, a Beverly Hills-based physician, is being floated as a possible replacement for Herbosa and his pitch is simple but explosive: zero-balance hospitalization for Filipinos.
Rigor plans to use PhilHealth funds aggressively to cover full hospital bills if he is appointed health secretary. The aim is to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for admitted patients, a long-standing promise that has repeatedly fallen short.
“Ang papalit kay Ted Herbosa bilang health secretary, si Dr. Ronald Rigor, ay nagbabalak na gamitin ang lahat ng pera ng Philhealth para sa ‘zero balance’ hospitalization. Ito ang aking nakalap sa mga taong nakausap niya,” Tulfo said on social media.
“Pati ang ilang private hospitals ay balak daw gawin ni Rigor na isama sa coverage ng ‘zero balance’ kung siya’y maging health secretary. Sapat naman daw ang pondo ng Philhealth at kinikita sa ‘sin tax’ para sa pagbabayad sa mga ospital at doctors’ professional fee,” he added.
Tulfo described Rigor as a “multimillionaire” who runs a popular beauty clinic catering to Hollywood stars such as Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. He also claimed Rigor is a consultant to 130 homes for the elderly.
“Ayaw sana ng asawa ni Rigor na maging miyembro siya ng Gabinete, pero nababaitan daw ito kay Bongbong Marcos. Gaya pala si Rigor ni Agriculture Secretary Kiko Tiu Laurel, isang billionaire, na ayaw ng pamilya na maging Cabinet member, pero malapit na kaibigan si Kiko ni Bonget,” Bilyonaryo quoted Tulfo.
Tulfo also claimed Rigor is willing to renounce his US citizenship if he is offered the health secretary post.
ENOUGH OF HERBOSA
Over the past few months, calls to remove Herbosa have grown amid corruption allegations within the DOH.
DOH employees have accused Herbosa of conflict of interest for allegedly fraternizing with health contractor Zuellig Pharma, an active bidder in DoH projects. The employees alleged Herbosa attended company-sponsored trips, social gatherings, out-of-town activities, and accepted gifts.
Earlier, DOH employees asked the Office of the Ombudsman to look into Herbosa’s P1.29 billion cash transfer to UNICEF for vaccines and essential medicines, which they said remained unliquidated from February 2024 to July 30, 2024.
They also alleged that while this amount was still unaccounted for, Herbosa approved another request to buy vaccines from UNICEF worth P524.9 million, in violation of Commission on Audit rules and a DOH memorandum that bars new fund transfers when previous ones have not yet been liquidated.
Tulfo criticized the president for not properly checking Herbosa’s background before appointing him. Tulfo claimed Herbosa has a history of “double-crossing” people, including an old allegation from his time as DOH undersecretary under President Aquino. In that earlier claim, a supplier allegedly pointed a gun at Herbosa after a deal was not honored.
CONG-TRACTOR SOLON
Tulfo alleged that Herbosa received P60 million from CWS party-list Rep. Edwin Gardiola, supposedly in connection with winning public bidding projects for construction of hospitals.
Tulfo shared photos allegedly showing boxes of cash being received in front of Herbosa’s residence. He also claimed that an armored Land Cruiser was given to the health chief by Gardiola, now known as “cong-tractor.”
Tulfo captioned the photos he posted as: “Makikita yung malaking kahon na pinaglagyan ng pera, yung mga kasambahay ni Herbosa na tumanggap ng limpak-limpak na salapi, yung pintuan ng bahay ni Herbosa, at yung armored Toyota Land Cruiser na binigay din ni Gardiola sa kanya.”
Tulfo further claimed that the release of the photos stemmed from a falling out between the two officials.
“Ayon sa aking tweety bird, dinobol-kros ni Herbosa si Partylist Congressman/Tongtractor Edwin Gardiola kaya’t nilabas niya ang mga litrato. Nagdududa daw kasi si Gardiola kay Herbosa na baka di tumupad sa usapan si Herbosa,” said Tulfo.
Gardiola has been linked to the flood control scandal and has been tagged as one of several so-called “cong-tractors.” The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC)has reportedly frozen up to 1,000 bank accounts tied to Gardiola.
Herbosa has also faced multiple controversies during his tenure at the DoH such as the graft complaint involving DOH Director Tina Marasigan over a P98-million radio program allegedly used to promote the image of DOH officials.
“The question is, was the P98 million radio program genuinely for public health promotion, or was it a publicly financed vehicle for Respondent Herbosa’s own media exposure and personal branding?” said the complaint.
SUBSTANDARD CLINICS
Tulfo was quoted last January 31 by Politiko saying Herbosa is allegedly pushing for the DoH to accept substandard mobile clinics because he stands to earn over half a billion pesos from the contract, citing Tulfo.
He cited a source who alleged that Herbosa would receive about P530 million—representing a 30-percent cut—from the P1.8-billion procurement of mobile clinics.
“Ayaw pumayag pumirma ng mga USECs niya kasi pangit yung specs, pero yun ang gusto ni Sec Ted kasi 30% siya dun, P1.8 billion yung purchase. P530 M kay Sec,” Tulfo quoted his source as saying.
Tulfo also claimed that Herbosa’s days in the Cabinet are numbered, alleging that the Health chief would soon be replaced.
“Si Herbosa ang pinaka-corrupt na ngayon na miyembro ng Gabinete ni BBM. Papalitan na siya,” Tulfo quipped.