Garin to get permanent posting

ROMBLON, Romblon, Philippines – Acting Health Secretary Janette Garin will be appointed in a permanent capacity, possibly after the visit of Pope Francis, President Aquino announced here yesterday.

Garin will replace Enrique Ona, who resigned amid an investigation into his department’s questionable purchase of vaccines.

“I am very satisfied with Secretary Garin. We will be putting in another undersecretary to help her. Of course this is subject to confirmation by the Commission on Appointments,” Aquino told reporters after an aerial inspection of the Romblon-Sawang-Agpanabat Provincial Road and the ceremonial inauguration of new buildings at the Romblon Provincial Hospital at Romblon Public Theater in Poblacion.

The President said they would just have to deal first with a lot of the ministerial matters after the visit of Pope Francis next week before issuing her appointment papers. He explained there were urgent issues to attend to and that he did not want to distract the people working on the Pope’s visit. He said the appointment papers of Garin can wait a little.

Aquino said he is willing to talk to Ona “but I am still awaiting completion of all of the investigations” into the issues involving the outgoing health chief.

Before her appointment as health undersecretary, Garin was Iloilo representative and deputy majority leader for the Visayas of the 15th Congress.

Aquino said Garin’s “extensive practice and knowledge as a medical practitioner” along with her legislative background, made her the perfect choice for the top DOH post.

Garin was an ally of Aquino in the House, and a co-author of the Reproductive Health Bill.

The passage of the controversial RH Bill has been hailed by the Aquino administration as one of its major achievements.

Garin, who belongs to a political family in Iloilo, allied with the Liberal Party in the 2013 elections. 

Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Juan Edgardo Angara expressed support for Aquino’s choice of Garin as Ona’s replacement.

“She is definitely qualified having served as undersecretary of the department, having been a health advocate, and as a three-term congresswoman for Iloilo, and with her medical background,” Angara said.

Trillanes said the President made a good decision in picking Garin as next health chief. “I believe Secretary Garin is a good choice,” he said.

“She has proven to be an efficient manager and effective consensus builder so far,” Trillanes added. – Christina Mendez