The DOH Debacle: Herbosa and Domingo, the Lone Sheriffs in a Ghost Town of Idle Clinics

Ghost Clinics, Greedy Crooks, and Grandstanding Solons: The DOH’s Fight for Justice

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — October 8, 2025

Roll the Telenovela: Solons Star in Hypocrisy Heatwave

LIGHTS, camera, hypocrisy! While Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa and Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo channel Sherlock and Watson, cracking a decade-old case of 400 idle Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) clinics, Congress hams it up in its latest soap opera, As the Budget Turns. The Philippine Daily Inquirer reveals Herbosa’s been on the trail long before the media’s “gotcha” moment. But Rep. Chel Diokno’s gasping like he’s unearthed a national conspiracy, ignoring the real villains: slacker LGUs, crooked contractors, and the sanctimonious specters of DOHs past.

Silence Isn’t Complicity—It’s a Legal Takedown in the Making

Herbosa and Domingo’s tight lips aren’t a cover-up; they’re the calculated moves of prosecutors who know loose talk sinks cases. Spilling details before filing with the Office of the Ombudsman or Sandiganbayan (anti-graft court) would let culprits shred evidence faster than a corrupt mayor’s expense reports. The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (Republic Act No. 6713), Section 4(b), demands public responsiveness but also fidelity to the law. Premature leaks could violate due process under the Revised Rules of Court, Rule 112, jeopard of like tweeting your battle plan before a raid.

And let’s not ignore the Supreme Court’s November 8, 2024, ruling that procurement slip-ups don’t automatically equal graft under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019). You need hard proof of corrupt intent or undue injury—elements that take time to nail down. Herbosa’s playing for keeps, not for applause. Compare that to Rep. Diokno’s performative shock, demanding answers like he’s never heard of a COA audit. Sorry, congressman, justice isn’t a TikTok trend.

The True Bandits: LGUs, Contractors, and a Former Secretary’s Amnesia

Let’s unmask the real culprits. First, the Local Government Units (LGUs), who signed Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) with the DOH in “good faith” then forgot to hire a single nurse. The Local Government Code (Republic Act No. 7160), Section 17(b)(2), devolved health services to LGUs, but some mayors treated HFEP funds like a personal ATM, leaving facilities empty. Commission on Audit (COA) reports have screamed about LGU failures for years, with P11.5 billion in projects idling. Where’s the congressional witch-hunt for that?

Next, the contractors—those vultures who grabbed billions for “ghost facilities” or half-built clinics and vanished like scam artists after a telemarketing spree. COA audits flag procurement disasters under the Government Procurement Reform Act (Republic Act No. 9184), yet past DOHs let these crooks waltz away. Why no lawsuits? Herbosa’s team is digging, but don’t expect miracles to undo a decade of negligence.

And then there’s Rep. Janette Garin, former DOH Secretary, clutching her pearls over Herbosa’s P1-billion “beautification” budget while amnesia conveniently erases her 2013–2016 tenure. Where was her crusade against idle facilities then? Instead, she’s deflecting with rants about a P7.5-million World Health Organization (WHO) donation and a P458-million research fund, as if those dwarf the P170 billion squandered on HFEP. Garin’s indignation is less about patient care and more about rewriting her legacy. Maybe take a bow, congresswoman, and let the grown-ups work.

Legislative Grandstanding: Another Useless Law Won’t Save Us

Congress might churn out a shiny new bill to “fix” this, but spare us the theatrics. RA 9184 already governs procurement; RA 3019 already jails grafters. The issue is enforcement, not a lack of statutes. New laws are just paper tigers unless they force LGUs to staff clinics and claw back funds from delinquent contractors. If Congress wants to help, fund operational budgets—doctors, nurses, equipment—not just concrete shells. But that’s less glamorous than a soundbite, isn’t it?

Herbosa’s Battle Plan: Three Moves to Shut Down the Critics

Herbosa and Domingo need to stop playing defense and go full Rambo. Here’s how:

1. Launch a Public Dashboard

Publish a redacted HFEP dashboard with facility statuses, contract details, and LGU compliance. RA 6713 demands transparency, not case spoilers. Show the public you’re on the case, Ted.

2. Drop an LGU Ultimatum

Give LGUs six months to staff facilities or lose them to partners who will. RA 7160, Section 17(e), lets DOH reallocate resources when LGUs slack. Flex that muscle.

3. Sue the Contractors

File civil suits against the worst offenders for breach of contract and fund recovery. RA 9184’s performance bonds (Section 62) are your ammo. Show the crooks you mean business.

The Final Standoff: Back the Sheriffs or Burn the Town Down

This isn’t about 400 idle clinics; it’s about whether Herbosa and Domingo get the time to haul the guilty into court or get lynched by a mob of hypocritical solons and click-hungry media. They’re not the villains—they’re the sheriffs cleaning up a ghost town built by LGU laziness, contractor greed, and past DOHs’ incompetence. The question is whether we’ll let them finish or sacrifice them to another season of political theater. My bet’s on the sheriffs. Barok, out.