(Eagle News) – The Commission on Appointments rejected on Tuesday, October 10, the ad interim appointment of Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial, as she joined four other appointees of President Rodrigo Duterte who were rejected by the powerful body.
Ubial, who earlier said she would accept whatever the decision of the CA would be, was teary-eyed after she was informed of the CA’s move.
“Talagang mababaw ang luha ko. Mahilig ako manood ng mga teledrama,” she told reporters.
The decision was made via secret voting through an executive session.
With the CA’s rejection of Ubial, she is now the fifth appointee of President Duterte who failed to get the nod of the powerful commission. The others are Perfecto Yasay as foreign secretary, Gina Lopez as environment secretary, Judy Taguiwalo as social welfare secretary, and Rafael Mariano as agrarian reform chief.
Ubial faced various opposition to her appointment as secretary of the Department of Health coming from Kabayan Rep. Harry Roque, and former Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) interim president and chief executive officer (CEO) Hildegardes Dineros, among others.
Dineros even attended the hearing on Tuesday to manifest his objection to Ubial’s appointment as Health secretary.