(UPDATE) HEALTH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa on Wednesday denied rumors that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was eyeing to replace him amid various issues surrounding the Department of Health (DOH).
In a press briefing in Malacañang, Herbosa reiterated the statement of Palace Press Officer Claire Castro that there were no expected changes in the Cabinet.
“There’s no truth to that. I think Usec. Claire already said yesterday that there is no revamp in the Cabinet,” he said. “But we, in the Cabinet, all serve at the pleasure of the president. So, if ever the president wants to replace me, that is the prerogative of the president.”
Despite this, Herbosa said they continued to fulfill the directives of the president, such as the implementation of the zero-balance billing in DOH-accredited hospitals.
“We continue to fulfill all his mandates, zero-balance billing, Bucas (Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service) centers and all this focus on the higher budget is emphasis on health,” the DOH chief said.
“So, I think we will continue to pursue the mandate of the president with emphasis on better care for all Filipinos,” he added.
Marcos is reportedly looking for Herbosa’s replacement amid controversies and complaints of incompetence in the Health Department.
Aside from the DOH, the agencies reportedly under review are the Departments of Education, Foreign Affairs, Tourism, Transportation, Information and Communications Technology, Public Works and Highways, and Economy, Planning and Development, as well as the Bureau of Customs.
The supposed Cabinet shake-up is meant to address the declining trust and approval ratings of the president.
Castro said that all members of the Cabinet served at the pleasure of the president.
“So, it depends on what the president sees, but, as of now, we have no news, no indication that there will be a Cabinet revamp,” she said.
The last Cabinet shakeup was in November, when Marcos accepted the resignation of then executive secretary Lucas Bersamin and budget secretary Amenah Pangandaman.
Marcos had asked all Cabinet-level officials to submit their courtesy resignation following the administration-backed Alyansa coalition’s weak performance in the May 2025 elections.
Source: Herbosa denies rumors he will be replaced as DOH chief
