ILOILO — Newly appointed Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 director Dr. Helen Tobias has begun consolidating ties with local leaders, signaling a push for stronger health service delivery across the region.
Tobias paid a courtesy visit to Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. of Iloilo on Tuesday, April 7, alongside key officials from the DOH-6, marking her first major engagement with the provincial government since formally assuming office.
Defensor welcomed the new health chief and expressed optimism about closer collaboration between the provincial government and the DOH-6 under Tobias’ leadership, emphasizing the need to enhance the delivery of quality health services to Ilonggos.
Tobias’ visit follows her official assumption as DOH-6 regional director after a leadership turnover ceremony held on March 23 at the DOH Regional Office 6 in Barangay Bolong Oeste, Santa Barbara, Iloilo.
The event underscored what officials described as a seamless transition and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to “compassionate, forward-thinking, and innovative public health service” across Western Visayas.
Before Tobias’ appointment, the regional office was led by officers-in-charge Dr. Ma. Sophia Pulmones (Director IV) and Dr. Mary Pauline Angelique Gestosani (Director III), following the retirement of former regional director Annabelle Yumang on Nov. 8, 2025.
DOH-6 has since informed all stakeholders — including national agencies, local government units, non-government organizations, academic institutions, and the public — that Tobias’ appointment as Regional Director took effect on March 23, 2026./PN
