History of Public Health in the Philippines

Before 1898
During the pre-Spanish period, traditional ways of healing (i.e., herbs and rituals) were widely used. Public health services in the
Philippines began in 1577 when a Franciscan friar, Fr. Juan Clemente, established a dispensary for Manila indigents. In 1659, the
dispensary became the San Juan de Dios Hospital.
The Spaniards instituted a hospital system with 13 hospitals and intensified public health work with the creation of the Central Board
of Vaccination and a Board of Health and Charity. Before the Americans came to the Philippines, there were already Medicos
Titulares, which corresponds to today’s provincial health workers.

1898
On June 23, 1898, the Department of Public Works, Education and Hygiene (currently known as Department of Public Works and
Highways, Department of Education, and Department of Health, respectively) was formally proclaimed by President Emilio
Aguinaldo.
Aguinaldo’s proclamation was not continued for they lost to the Americans. Through General Order No. 15, the Americans created a
Board of Health for the City of Manila on September 29, 1898. Dr. T.H. Pardo de Tavera and Dr. Aristone Bautista Lim, together with
three American surgeons, comprised the provisional board. Being that General Order No. 15 is American in nature, it aimed to
protect the health of the American troops. Nevertheless, this American order started the institutional development of the current
Department of Health (DOH).

1899
On August 26, 1899, the Board of Health was abolished while Dr. Guy Edie was appointed as the first Commissioner of Health.
Registration of births, deaths, and marriages began during this time.

1901
The Philippine Commission created the Board of Health for the Philippine Islands, which served as the local health board, through
Act No. 157 dated July 1, 1901. It became the Insular Board of Health when the provincial health boards and municipal health boards
were created on December 2, 1901 through Act No. 307 and Act No. 308, respectively.

1905
With Act No. 1407, the Insular Board of Health and its functions were abolished and replaced by the Bureau of Health, being under
the Department of Interior. Dr. Victor Heiser was the first Director of the Bureau of Health.

1906
Repealing Act No. 307, Philippine Commission Act No. 1487 ordered that the provincial boards of health be replaced with district
health officers.

1912
Act No. 2156 of 1912, also referred to as “Fajardo Act”, consolidated municipalities into sanitary divisions and instigated today’s
“Health Fund”.

1915
In 1915, the Bureau of Health was renamed into Philippine Health Service, and later reverted back to its previous name. Dr. Vicente
de Jesuswas the first Filipino Director of Health.

1932
The Reorganization Act of 1932or Act No. 4007 created the Office of the Commissioner of Health and Public Welfare with Dr. Basilio
J. Valdez as its first Commissioner.

1941
On January 7, 1941, the Executive Order No. 317 formalized the Department of Public Health and Welfare with Dr. Jose Fabella as its
first Department Secretary. The Department included the following: Bureau of Quarantine; health department of chartered cities;
provincial, city, and municipal hospitals; dispensaries and clinics; public markets and slaughter houses; health resorts; and all
charitable agencies.
1947
In October 1947, Executive Order No. 94 regulated reorganization in the Department of Public Health and Welfare. The Bureau of
Public Welfare and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) were transferred under the Office of the President of the Philippines. From
then on, the Department was called Department of Health (DOH). Under DOH were Office of the Secretary, Bureau of Health,
Bureau of Quarantine, Bureau of Hospitals, and all City Health Departments.

1950
Just three years after, the second reorganization of the Department was implemented through Executive Order No. 392. The
Institute of Nutrition, Division of Biological Research, and Division of Food Technology were transferred from the Institute of Science
to DOH. The Medical and Dental Services unit under the Bureau of Public Schools was transferred as the Division of School Medical
and Dental Services under the Bureau of Health. There were also changes within the Department, namely: integration of the
National Chest Center and TB section into a Tuberculosis Division; conversion of the Division of Laboratories into an Office of Public
Health Research Laboratory; and conversion of the leprosy control section into a Division of Sanitaria under the Bureau of Hospitals.

1958
After a threat from the US Operations Mission to the Philippines, the “most sweeping” reorganization was implemented. Two
Undersecretaries of Health – the Undersecretary of Health and the Medical Services, and the Undersecretary of Special Services –
were created. Eight regional health offices were formed as the health services were decentralized to the regional, provincial, and
municipal levels.

1969
Republic Act No. 6111, or the so-called Philippine Medical Care Act of 1969,authorized hospitalization, surgical, and medical expense
benefits for the people.

1970
In 1970, health services were classified into primary, secondary, and tertiary levels through the Restructured Health Care Delivery
System.

1972
At the onset of Martial Law, DOH was renamed to Ministry of Health and the regional offices increased from eight to twelve. The
first Minister of Health was Dr. Clemente Gatmaitan.

1982
Under the Executive Order No. 851, the Integrated Provincial Health Office was created to reorganize the Ministry of Health. The
Health Education and Manpower Development Service was also created.

1986-1987
The Ministry of Health regained its former name (Department of Health) with the Executive Order No. 119. Also, five (5) offices,
headed by an undersecretary and an assistant secretary, were placed under the Secretary of Health. These offices are the Chief of
Staff, Public Health Services, Hospital and Facilities Services, Standard and Regulations, and Management Service. Three regions (i.e.,
NCR, CAR, and ARMM) were added to the 12 regional health offices. A National Health Facilities, consisting of seven (7) special
research centers and hospitals and eight (8) medical centers, was also created.

1991-1993
The Republic Act 7160 or Local Government Code of 1991 was fully implemented. The Office for Special Concerns was formed from
the branching out of the Office of Public Health Services. The Office of Hospital Facilities, Standards and Regulation was created from
the merging of two big offices.
Health projects were intensified. Among these projects are National Micronutrient Campaign, Disaster Management, Urban Health
and Nutrition Project, Traditional Medicine, Doctors to the Barrios Program, and "Let’s DOH It"!
1999
Through the Executive Order 102, the functions and operations of DOH were to be aligned with the provisions of Administrative
Code 1987 and RA 7160. This year, the Health Sector Reform Agenda of the Philippines 1999-2004 was launched. Reforms include:
fiscal autonomy to government hospitals; funding for priority health programs; promoting the development of local health systems
and assurance of effective performance; strengthening of capacities of health regulatory agencies and expanding coverage of the
National Health Insurance Program (NHIP).
The National Objectives for Health 1999-2004, which indicates the Philippines’ objectives to eradicate and control infectious
diseases, major chronic illnesses and injuries, was also launched. This encourages healthy lifestyle and health-seeking behaviors
towards the prevention of diseases.

2000
The Health Sector Reform Agenda (HSRA), being the major framework for health policies and investments, was institutionalized this
year. The National Government Agencies, together with the national and local health stakeholders, and international partners,
endorsed the HSRA for approval.

2001
In July 13, 2001, Sec. Manuel Dayrit signed the Administrative Order 37, stating the guidelines on the HSRA implementation plan.
Thirteen convergence sites or advance implementation areas were established in this year.

2003
Through Administrative Order 50, the One-Script Systems Improvement Program was established to unify, synchronize, and target
priority public health programs.
Sixty-eight DOH-retained hospitals were provided with fiscal autonomy, allowing 100% retention and use of hospital income to
improve health facilities.

2005
FOURmula ONE for Health(F1) was launched as a blueprint of reform implementation aiming for a more responsive health system,
more equitable health financing, and better health outcomes. Within the medium term 2005-2010, F1 was devised to address the
issues on fragmentation of the Philippine health system and inequity in health care. Also, F1 intended to achieve speedy, precise,
and well-coordinated critical reforms to improve the health system of the country.

2006
This year, the DOH received both national and international recognitions from the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) and
Guinness World Records Limited, respectively. The PAGC awarded DOH as the number one agency to fight corruption. In May of this
year, DOH set a new Guinness World Record for the Most Number of Woman Breastfeeding Simultaneously. In terms of national
studies and surveys, DOH also ranked first among the government agencies according to the Pulse Asia 3rd Quarter Survey.

2007
Four Administrative Orders – AO 2007-0021, Harmonization and Streamlining of the Licensure System for Hospitals; AO 2007-0022,
Violations Under the OSS Licensure System for Hospitals; AO 2007-0023, Schedule of Fees for the OSS Licensure System for
Hospitals; and AO 2007-0024, Guidelines for the Licensure of DOH Hospitals – were issued to support the establishment of the OSS
Licensure System for Hospitals.
The Technical Assistance Coordination Team (TACT) was created through the DPO 2007-2964 to harmonize the technical assistance
provided to the DOH. TACT, with its creative mechanisms, ensures that technical assistance efforts are suited to the needs of various
offices.
The Sector-wide Development Approach for Health (SDAH) was operationalized on November 15, 2007 through Administrative
Order 2007-0038. SDAH was adopted in the implementation of F1 for Health to gain the development partners’ support in the race
to unify the health sector.

2008
The Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health and Nutrition Strategy (MNCHN) was pursued to address maternal and neonatal mortality.
Republic Act No. 9502 or the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008 made quality medicines more
accessible to every Filipino.

2010
With the appointment of Dr. Enrique T. Ona as the new Health Secretary came a new platform on health – the Universal Health Care
(UHC). This reform agenda aims to make essential health services, necessities, and quality health care available and accessible to all
Filipinos. “PhilHealth Sabado,” as one of the initiatives to achieving UHC, was launched on October 2 of this year.

National Center for Health Promotion

General Functions and Structure
● Develop directions, policies, standards, and guidelines pertaining to health promotion
● Provide policy advice to partner agencies related to the health determinants
● Provide technical assistance to Central Office cluster/bureau, CHDs and retained hospitals on health promotion
● Take the leadership in the implementation of national campaigns as determined by DOH management
● Provide health promotion data to CO, CHDs, retained hospitals and other partners
● Develop, produce and provide IEC materials to CO, CHDs, retained hospitals and other partners
● Establish networks with partners especially those involved in peace, shelter, livelihood, education, food, income, eco-system,
social relations, equity, poverty, social justice, empowerment of women and human rights.

A. Health Promotion Division

Specific Functions:
● Provide leadership in the development of Health Promotion strategies based on health promotion policies, standards and
guidelines
● Provide technical expertise pertaining to health promotion strategies and social mobilization
● Provide the leadership, in coordination with concerned clusters/bureaus, in the conduct of social mobilization for national
campaigns
● Review existing policies of partner agencies with impact on health for policy advise and other collaborative strategies
● Develop models on Health Promotion strategies
● Facilitate research activities on Health Promotion
● Monitor and evaluate the implementation of Health Promotion activities at CHDs/Retained hospitals, and
● Provide leadership, in coordination with other DOH clusters, on policy advocacy for health promotion issues.

B. Health Communication Division

Specific Functions:
● Provide leadership in the development and production of IEC prototype materials for DOH campaigns.
● Provide technical expertise on communication planning and creative materials development for various audiences
● Develop communication plans for all health campaigns
● Provide communication research data to CO, CHDs and other partners
● Produce, market and disseminate IEC products and services, and
● Supervise PHNCC and its regional hubs.

8​th ​Global Conferences

• OTTAWA Charter for Health Promotion (November 17-21, 1986)
• ADELAIDE Recommendations on Healthy Public Policy (April 5-9, 1988)
• SUNDSVALL Statement on Supportive Environments for Health (June 9-15, 1991)
• JAKARTA Declaration on Leading Health Promotion into the 21​st​ Century (July 21-25, 1997)
• MEXICO Ministerial Statement for the Promotion of Health: From Ideas to Action (June 5-9, 2000)
• The BANGKOK Charter for Health Promotion in a Globalized World (August 7-11, 2005)
• The NAIROBI Call to Action for Closing the Implementation Gap in Health Promotion (October 26-30, 2009)
• The HELSINKI statement on Health in ALL policies (June 10-14, 2013)