New Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Camilo Cascolan said that he was tasked to supervise the operations of the state health agency in the Visayas.
In a television interview, Cascolan said that he was already briefed by DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire regarding his role.
“I have been given the field, implementation and coordinating team. This is actually an oversight committee or oversight unit that will oversee operations of DOH, most especially in the field of Visayas actually,” he said on Thursday, Nov. 10.
“I am the supervisor there, the overseer,” he added.
Cascolan said that he will “coordinate and oversee the implementation of DOH policies and programs on the regional and local levels” and “look at the operations of the hospitals and other health facilities.”
When asked why his role is limited only in Visayas, Cascolan said “well, DOH is new to me. First of all, I need to be more knowledgeable on what they are doing.”
Although he is new to the DOH, the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief said that his experience in administrative and managerial operations was his “asset” and believes that it would be of help to the Health department.
“Well, number one is my expertise on how to handle people; my expertise on logistics, most especially supply chain management; my expertise, maybe, on a lot of things; and my experience in the field for more than 38 years,” he said.
“I've been in a lot of crises, I have been able to solve them without any false or wrongdoing, of course. And at the same time, one thing that makes me good in government service is my integrity,” he said.
To his critics, Cascolan asked them to give him a chance to do his new assignment as health undersecretary.
“Just observe me. If I'm not good, if I don't do well, then I will be the first one to get out of DOH. Everybody needs to be given a chance,” he said.
BARMM’s Ministry of Health
In a related development, the DOH announced the appointment of Dr. Rizaldy Piang as new Minister of Health of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“The Department of Health through its Officer-in-Charge Dr. Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire, wishes to congratulate Dr. Rizaldy L. Piang as the newly appointed Minister of Health of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” the agency said on its official Facebook page.
“The DOH looks forward to closely working with the Ministry of Health of BARMM in serving our kababayans to deliver quality health services in the country in light of Universal Health Care,” it added.