Next to DPWH? Magalong warns DOH

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong made a veiled statement about the Department of Health (DOH), saying something questionable seems to be happening there too—not just in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

In a radio interview on Thursday, he named the health department and also warned its Secretary, Ted Herbosa.

“Infrastructure pa lang, kwestyonable na. Mayroon pa iyang Department of Health. Iyang si Sec. Ted Herbosa, malapit ka na rin,” he said.

“Hindi lang DPWH, iyang nangyayari sa DOH, malapit na iyan.”

On Tuesday, during budget deliberations, it was brought up that the health department appeared to have its own flood of controversies, after it was revealed that only 200 out of 600 health centers built under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) were functional—citing a lack of personnel.

Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno raised Herbosa’s earlier comment likening the HFEP to flood control projects.

“Is this the reason why Secretary Herbosa considered the HFEP the Department of Health’s version of flood control?” said Diokno.

Budget sponsor Bataan 2nd District Rep. Albert Garcia denied that the health centers were “ghost projects,” as they exist.

“They exist, but due to lack of personnel and healthcare professionals to run them, they are not functioning,” he said.

The HFEP, which started in 2007, aims to improve public health facilities and services across the country and enhance healthcare accessibility nationwide.