Senate President Zubiri on the Appointments of Sec. Gibo Teodoro and Sec. Ted Herbosa

I welcome and fully support the President's appointments of Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro and Health Secretary Ted Herbosa.

Sec. Teodoro is a tried and tested public servant, and we trust that he will head the Department of Defense most capably, particularly amidst this atmosphere of brewing tensions in our waters.

And we are happy to see the Department of Health helmed by an experienced public health expert. Sec. Herbosa's appointment comes at an opportune time, with our Regional Specialty Centers Act having just gotten bicameral approval, and we are hopeful that he will spearhead a truly whole-of-nation approach in the improvement of our public health services.

With Secretary Teodoro in defense and Sec. Herbosa in health, the President has just addressed the two most pressing challenges of our time--territorial integrity and our full recovery from the pandemic.

Their appointments should give a big boost to our fight to have a secure and a stronger nation supported by a healthy population.