Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire has been designated as officer-in-charge of the Department of Health, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said Thursday.

Citing Memorandum Circular No. 1, Cruz-Angeles said Vergeire's term as OIC will last until the end of the month.

"If there will be no designated secretary of DOH before that time, her term as OIC will be extended," Cruz-Angeles said in a press conference.

Before her appointment as OIC, Vergeire was Health Undersecretary for the Public Health Services and Office of the Chief of Staff.

She has been DOH spokesperson since 2020 and designated head of the National Vaccination Operations Center at the tailend of the Duterte administration.

Cruz-Angeles said Mel Robles has been tapped as the general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

She said Robles was the first administrator of the Light Rail Transport Authority who was able to make the agency profitable.

She added that Robles is engaged in real estate and owns a rehabilitation facility. DMS