An anonymous graft complaint was filed Tuesday before the Office of the Ombudsman against Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Ted Herbosa and two other health officials for allegedly using a government-funded radio program for personal benefit and publicity.
The complainants, identifying themselves as members of the Alliance for Clean and Transparent Government (ACTGov), lodged an administrative case against Herbosa, Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo, and Director Tina Marasigan over the alleged misuse of a ₱98 million contract for a DOH radio program.
“The law does not prohibit health promotion. What it prohibits is a public officer using public funds to generate a platform from which he himself benefits,” the group said in its 24-page complaint.
“The question is, was the ₱98 million radio program genuinely for public health promotion, or was it a publicly financed vehicle for Respondent Herbosa’s own media exposure and personal branding?” it added.
The DOH defended the program, maintaining that the arrangements were lawful and transparent.
“We have yet to receive a copy of the complaint from the Ombudsman. Nevertheless, all our anchoring and hosting duties are fully compliant with government rules and regulations,” Domingo said.
He also dismissed the complaint as baseless.
“There clearly is a pattern of repeated filing of complaints despite the circumstances being frivolous,” he added.
In a separate statement, Herbosa said the department’s use of media platforms to deliver health information is deliberate and legal.
“These initiatives comply with government procurement laws and respect the specific media ethics of each broadcasting platform. Every Filipino has the right to health, which includes education and information on disease prevention and treatment,” he said.
Herbosa noted that he has yet to receive a copy of the complaint.
“Nevertheless, all our anchoring and hosting duties are fully compliant with government rules and regulations. It appears that the complaints are frivolous claims designed to distract from factual and more pressing issues,” he added.