Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Ted Herbosa

AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee called on Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Ted Herbosa to resign over his alleged failure to address key issues in the country’s healthcare system, which the latter vowed to do during the House budget deliberations earlier this year. 

In House Resolution (HR) No. 2090, Lee cited the commitments made by Herbosa and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. last Sept. 25 during the House plenary deliberations of the 2025 DOH budget. 

Lee claimed that these deliveries were not complied with despite lapsed and looming deadlines of some commitments.  

It was Oct. 10 when the Bicol solon first suggested that Herbosa in the event the commitments he signed on to were unmet.  

“Malinaw na ang DOH, bilang tagapamuno ng Benefits Committee ng PhilHealth, ang dapat na manguna sa pagpapatupad ng kasunduang ito. Kung walang balak si Sec. Herbosa na tumupad dito, ngayon pa lang ay magbitiw na siya sa puwesto,” the solon earlier stated. 

(It's clear that the DOH, as the head of the Benefits Committee of PhilHealth, must take the lead in implementing this agreement. If Sec. Herbosa has no plans to implement this, then step down now.) 

Among the commitments made that have lapsed are the submission of a detailed and comprehensive plan with definite timeline to lower out-of-pocket medical expenses of Filipinos and comprehensive report on the availability of medicines and vaccines which was due last Oct. 31, 2024.  

Meanwhile, the commitment to implement a 50 percent across-the-board PhilHealth benefits increase that should have taken efffect this November has yet to materialize notwithstanding the approaching end of the month.  

“The document with commitments signed by Health Secretary Herbosa and PhilHealth Chief Ledesma is not only for their ministerial duties, but also for their genuine compliance to the Congress as an institution, and ultimately to the Filipino people who deserve a better healthcare system,” Lee said.  

“Sec. Herbosa has intentionally misled the Filipino people into believing that he will fulfill the commitments made by the DOH during the budget deliberations,” he added.  

Lee shared that despite follow-up letters addressed to Herbosa and received by the DOH office on Oct. 7 and Nov. 5, the health secretary did not respond to the call and did not comply with the said commitments.