Palace terminates 3 DSWD undersecretaries

November 19, 2018

Malacanang confirmed on Monday that three undersecretaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) have been terminated.

In a statement, DSWD said those who vacated their posts effective November 14 were Undersecretary for Protective Programs Mae Fe Templa and Undersecretary for Promotive Programs Maria Lourdes Turalde-Jarabe.

They were removed from the posts following the orders from Malacanang, it said.

DSWD said both officials did not hesitate to step down from their posts as they are well aware that they serve at the pleasure of the President.

Undersecretary for Disaster Response Management Group Hope Hervilla also stepped down after President Rodrigo Duterte had accepted her resignation, it added.

"Yes. We expect the new secretary to bring his own team to provide better services to the public," Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said in a text message to reporters on the removal of the three officials.

Duterte recently appointed Rolando Joselito Bautista as the new DSWD secretary. He succeeded DSWD Officer-in-charge Virginia Orogo, who replaced Judy Taguiwalo, a left-leaning individual, after the Commission on Appointments rejected her nomination.

Asked if the termination of the three undersecretaries has something to do with them being left-leaning, Medialdea said, "No. (It's for) formation of a good team."

Prior to their appointments in DSWD, Jarabe was the secretary general of Gabriela; Templa was a member of the Forum of Women for Action with Rody Duterte; and Hervilla was a regional chairperson of Bayan Muna. Celerina Monte/DMS