By Leilani S. Junio
MANILA, July 27 (PNA) — Toward the end of his sixth State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) before a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on Monday afternoon, President Benigno S. Aquino III thanked all members of his Cabinet, particularly two lady secretaries whom he described as “reliable” and “source” of strength.”
The two women Cabinet members are Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon J. Soliman and Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Janette L. Garin.
“Kay Secretary Dinky Soliman, na ‘on-call 25 hours a day, eight days a week,’ idamay ko na din pati na ang lahat ng iyong naging executive assistants, na pagka-graduate sa DSWD ay puwede nang isabak sa anumang krisis sa mundo,” the President said in praising the DSWD chief.
President Aquino cited that Secretary Dinky (Soliman) is one among his cabinet secretaries whom he considers very reliable and organized.
“Dinky, tuwing tatawagin kita ay laging hawak mo na ang tala ng problemang dapat tugunan, ang mga ginagawang hakbang, at ang mga natitira pang dapat gawin. Isang usapan lang, malinaw nang inaasikaso mo ang lahat ng dapat asikasuhin,” he told Secretary Soliman.
He also expressed his thanks to Health Secretary Garin whom he describes as his “Cabinet secretary who actively addresses different health problems confronting the country,” which is also a great help to him and “source of strength.”
“Janette (Secretary Garin), ang katatagan mo ang nagpapatatag sa ating lahat,” said the President as he acknowledged the DOH lady chief’s role in ensuring that the ways to combat infectious diseases and other threatening disease in the country are in place.
Some of the infectious diseases and health problems that have been guarded and given focus by the DOH are the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus (MERSCoV), Ebola Virus Disease, food poisoning, encephalitis, and others.(PNA)