MANILA, Philippines – Ipinahayag ng 55 samahan ng mga medical professional ang kanilang matinding pagkabahala sa umano’y pagtanggal kay Dr. Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire at iba pang beteranong opisyal mula sa Department of Health (DOH).
Sa isang joint statement na pinangunahan ng Philippine Medical Association (PMA), nanawagan ang mga grupo kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na panatilihin ang integridad ng civil service at igalang ang merit-based system sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno, lalo na sa DOH.
“We are therefore deeply concerned over her recent removal, along with other career DOH officials, who have demonstrated competence and dedication,” ayon sa pahayag.
Dagdag pa ng mga grupo, ang pagkakatalaga ng mga opisyal na kulang sa public health background ay maaaring magdulot ng demoralisasyon sa hanay ng mga health workers at makasira sa tiwala ng publiko sa DOH.
Kinumpirma ng Malacañang noong Agosto 1 ang pagtatalaga kay Randy Escolango bilang bagong undersecretary ng DOH, kapalit ni Vergeire. Dati siyang nanilbihan sa DOLE, Insurance Commission, at Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.
Bagamat kinikilala ng medical groups ang prerogatibo ng Pangulo sa pagtatalaga ng opisyal, hinimok nila si Marcos na unahin ang teknikal na kakayahan at institusyonal na kaalaman sa bawat appointment.
“Political transitions must not come at the cost of technical excellence or institutional memory—especially at a time when the country continues to face urgent health challenges, including the recent calamities affecting our communities,” giit nila, lalo’t nahaharap pa ang bansa sa mga krisis pangkalusugan at kalamidad.
Batay sa liham ni Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin kay Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, epektibo agad ang pagtatapos ng termino ni Vergeire noong Hulyo 14. Wala namang naging paliwanag ang DOH o Malacañang ukol sa desisyon.
Si Vergeire ay isang Career Executive Service Officer (CESO) II na may seguridad sa panunungkulan, at maaari lamang tanggalin sa serbisyo kung may sapat na dahilan at dumaan sa due process.
Dalawa pang career officials, sina Undersecretary Achilles Gerard Bravo at Dr. Kenneth Ronquillo ang tahimik ding umalis sa DOH matapos umabot sa mandatory retirement age na 65. Ngunit hindi ito ang kaso ni Vergeire, na mag-57 pa lamang sa Nobyembre.
Matagal na nanilbihan si Vergeire sa DOH mula pa noong 2007, matapos ang 11 taon sa Marikina City Health Office. Kinilala siya ng mga medical group bilang simbolo ng integridad, siyensya, at bukas na pamumuno, lalo na sa panahon ng pandemya.
“She was not only the face of the pandemic response but also a model for integrity and good governance in public service.”
Ang pahayag ay pirmado ng mga sumusunod na health professional groups at medical societies:
1. Philippine Medical Association (PMA)
2. Philippine Association of Medical Technologists (PAMET)
3. Philippine League of Government and Private Midwives (PLGPM)
4. Philippine College of Physicians (PCP)
5. Philippine Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP)
6. Philippine Obstetrics and Gynecology Society (POGS)
7. Philippine Academic Society of Social and Community Medicine (PASCOM)
8. Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology (PAO)
9. Philippine Academy of Pediatric Pulmonologists (PAPP)
10. Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine (PARM)
11. Philippine Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (PAPRAS) 12. Philippine College of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (PCEDM)
13. Philippine College of Geriatric Medicine (PCGM)
14. Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS)
15. Philippine Heart Association (PHA)
16. Philippine Neurological Association (PNA) 17. Philippine Orthopedic Association (POA)
18. Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPA) 19. Philippine Rheumatology Association (PRA) 20. Philippine Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (PSDBP)
21. Philippine Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (PSPGHAN)
22. Philippine Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (PSAAI)
23. Philippine Society of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
24. Philippine Society of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID)
25. Philippine Society of Nephrology (PSN)
26. Philippine Society Of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (PSO-HNS)
27. Philippines Society of Medical Oncology (PSMO)
28. Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAPI)
29. Alliance for Improving Health Outcomes (AIHO)
30. ANG NARS
31. Asia Pacific Center for Evidence Based Health Care (APCEBH)
32. Asia-Oceania Research Organization on Gynecologic Infections and Neoplasia (AOGIN) 33. Child Neurology Society (CNS)
34. Health Care Professionals for Christ (HCPC) 35. Kalusugan ng Mag-Ina (KMI)
36. Pain Society of the Philippines
37. Pediatric Nephrology Society (PNS)
38. Philippine Ambulatory Pediatrics Association (PAPA)
39. Philippine Association of Medical Journal Editors (PAMJE)
40. Philippine College of Adult Nephrology (PCAN)
41. Philippine League Against Epilepsy
42. Philippine Lipid and Atherosclerosis Society (PLAS)
43. Philippine Society for Gynecologic Endoscopy (PSGE)
44. Philippine Society for Gynecologic Pathology and Colposcopy (PSCPC)
45. Philippine Society for Reproductive Medicine (PSRM)
46. Philippine Society for the Study of Overweight and Obesity (PSSOO)
47. Philippine Society for Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery (PSURPS)
48. Philippine Society of Climacteric Medicine (PSCM)
49. Philippine Society of Critical Care Medicine (PSCCM)
50. Philippine Society of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology
51. Philippine Society of Hypertension (PSH) 52. Philippine Society of Pediatric Hematology (PSPH)
53. Philippine Society of Public Health Physicians (PSPHP)
54. Philippine Society of Reproductive Immunologists (PSRI)
55. Philippine Spine Society (PSS). RNT/JGC
