The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed on Monday, Nov. 7 that former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Camilo Cascolan took his oath as one of the agency's undersecretaries.
"Specific assignment will be issued through a Department Personnel Order (DPO) in the coming days," DOH told reporters in a text message.
In a photo provided by DOH, Cascolan took his oath before DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire.
Cascolan joins the other DOH undersecretaries: Lilibeth David, Carolina Vidal-Taino, Abdullah Dumama, Kenneth Ronquillo, Nestor Santiago, and Maria Francia Laxamana.
Meanwhile, the DOH noted that Mercado-Grande was “reappointed” as health assistant secretary.
Aside from Mercado-Grande, the other DOH assistant secretaries are Beverly Ho, Maylene Beltran, and Frances Ontalan.
The Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) earlier denounced the move of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of appointing Cascolan as undersecretary of DOH, saying that it is a “clear manifestation of the President’s extreme lack of concern for the lives, health, safety and welfare of the health workers and the entire Filipino nation.”