Vice President Leni Robredo said that if she wins in May 2022, leadership will be an important quality of the next Health secretary, adding that the appointment will not be political.

Without dropping names, the lone female presidential candidate said that she already has someone in mind.

However, she stressed the need for a Health secretary who is a technical expert, a good manager, and is respected by his/her peers.

She added that it will not be a political appointment and underscored the importance of leadership in the agency.

“During the pandemic, nakita natin ang halaga ng leadership sa Department of Health. Ang kahalagahan po ng leadership na ‘to overextends hindi lang iyong kaalaman sa health pero iyong kahandaan na sumabak sa ground (we saw the importance of the leadership of the Department of Health. The importance of this leadership overextends not only to knowledge of health but the readiness to go to the ground),” she said during the CNN Philippines’ “The Filipino Votes: Presidential Debate” on Sunday, Feb. 27.

Her next DOH chief will be someone who can command leadership because she is also ready to do the work on the ground.

“Ako bilang presidente (As a president), in every crisis, ako mismo ang mangunguna. Nakita natin during the pandemic na kailangan natin ng isang pangulo na nagli-lead sa front (I will be at front. We saw that during the pandemic that we need a president who leads on the front),” Robredo stressed.

She added that a president cannot rely on reports alone, and that “there is no time to spare” during times of crisis.

In earlier interviews, Robredo said she wants an actuarial scientist for the job of Health secretary. An actuarial scientist is one who assesses the financial risks in the insurance and financial fields using mathematical and statistical equations.

The Vice President has been a staunch critic of the Duterte administration’s health policies, especially during the numerous lockdowns because of the COVID-19 pandemic.