Philippine News
Aquino signs Garin’s nomination as DOH chief
8, 2015). (Photo by Robert Viñas/Malacañang Photo Bureau/PNA)” width=”604″ height=”424″ />
President Benigno S. Aquino III chats with acting Health Secretary Janette Garin during the Association of the Philippine Physicians in America–Philippine Medical Association (APPA-PMA) Joint Congress 2015 Opening Ceremony at the Rigodon Ballroom of the Manila Hotel in One Rizal Park, Manila on Thursday (Jan. 8, 2015). (Photo by Robert Viñas/Malacañang Photo Bureau/PNA)MANILA — President Benigno Aquino III has signed the nomination of Department of Health (DOH) Acting Secretary Janette L. Garin as head of the department.
”The nomination was sent by the Office of the President to the Commission on Appointments, which will eventually schedule the confirmation hearing/s,” Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Thursday.
Garin, who was a former Representative of the First District of Iloilo, served as Undersecretary for the DOH Women, Children and Family Health Cluster before she was appointed as Acting Secretary in November 2014.
She was tapped to head the Health Department after former Health Secretary Enrique Ona went on leave effective October 23, 2014 to give the President Aquino time to assess the report about the irregularities regarding the acquisition of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine 10 (PCV 10) vaccines worth Php 833 million in 2012.
Allegations said Ona, along with Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag, erred in the purchase of the said vaccine that is intended to prevent pulmonary diseases among children, because they did not heed the recommendations of the National Center for Pharmaceutical Access and Management, Formulary Executive Council and the World Health Organization (WHO) to buy PCV 13 instead because this is more cost effective.
Ona eventually resigned from his post in December last year.
