Philippine Department of Health (DOH)
Historical Background
Pre-Spanish and Spanish Periods (before 1898)
- traditional health care practices especially the use of herbs and rituals for healing
were widely practiced during these periods.
- The western concept of public health services in the country is traced to the first
dispensary for indigent patients of Manila by a Franciscan friar that was begun in
1577.
- In 1876, Medicos Titulares, equivalent to provincial health officers were already
existing.
- In 1888, a Superior Board of Health and Charity was created by the Spaniards which
established a hospital system and a board of vaccination.
June 23, 1898
- After the proclamation of the Philippine independence from Spain, the Department of
Public Works, education and Hygiene was created by virtue of a decree signed by
President Emilio Aguinaldo.
September 29, 1898
- General Orders No. 15 established the Board of Health for the City of Manila with
the primary objective of protecting the health of the American soldiers.
July 1, 1901
- a Board of Health for the Philippine Islands was created through Act No. 157
because it was realized that it was impossible to protect the American soldiers
without protecting the natives.
- Act Nos. 307, 308 dated December 2, 1901, established the Provincial Municipal
Boards respectively completing the health organization in accordance with the
territorial division of the islands.
October 26, 1905
- The Insular Board of Health proved to be inefficient operationally so it was abolished
and was replaced by the Bureau of Health under the Department of Interior through
Act No. 1487 in 1906 replaced the provincial boards of health with district health
officers.
1912
- Act No. 2156 also known as the Fajardo Act, consolidated the municipalities into
sanity divisions and established what is known as the Health Fund for travel and
salaries.
1915
- Act No. 2468 transformed the Bureau of Health into a commissioned service called
the Philippine Health Service.
- This introduced a systematic organization of personnel with corresponding civil
service grades, and a secure system of civil service entrance and promotion
described as the “semi-military system of public health administration”.
August 2, 1916
- The passage of the Jones Law also known as the Philippine Autonomy Act,
provided the highlight in the struggle of the Filipinos for independence from the
American rule.
- The establishment of an elective Philippine Senate completed an all Filipino
Philippine Assembly that formed a bicameral system of government. This ushered in
a major reorganization which culminated in the Administrative Code of 1917 (Act
2711), which included the Public Health Law of 1917.
1932
- Act No. 4007 known as the Reorganization Act of 1932, reverted back the
Philippine Service into the Bureau of Health, and combined the Bureau of Public
Welfare under the Office of the Commissioner of Health and Public Welfare.
The Philippine Commonwealth and the Japanese Occupation (1935-1945)
May 31, 1939
- Commonwealth Act No. 430 created the Department of Public Health and Welfare,
but the full implementation was only completed through Executive Order No. 317,
January 7, 1941.
- Dr. Jose Fabella became the first Department Secretary of Health and Public Welfare
in 1941.
October 4, 1947
- Executive Order No. 94 provided the post war reorganization of the Department of
Health and Public Welfare.
- This resulted in the split of the Department with transfer of the Bureau of Public
Welfare and the Philippine General Hospital to the Office of the President.
- Another split was created between the curative and preventive services through the
creation of the Bureau of Hospitals which took over the curative services. Preventive
care services remained under the Bureau of Health.
- This order also established the Nursing Service Division under the Office of the
Secretary.
January 1, 1951
- The Office of the President of the Sanitary District was converted into a Rural Health
Unit, carrying out 7 basic health services: maternal and child health, environmental
health, communicable disease control, vital statistics, medical care, health education
and public health nursing.
- Rural Health Act of 1954 (RA 1082) created more rural health units and created
posts for municipal health officers, among other provisions.
February 20, 1958
- Executive Order No. 288 provided for what is described as the “most sweeping”
reorganization in the history of the Department.
- An office of the Regional Health Director was created in 8 regions and all health
services were decentralized to the regional, provincial making and development of
procedures. RHUs were made an integral part of the public health care delivery
system.
1970
- the Restructures Health Care Delivery System was conceptualized; under this
concept the public health nurse to population ratio was 1:20,000.
June 2, 1978
- with the proclamation of martial law in the country, Presidential Decree 1397
renamed the Department of Health to the Ministry of Health. Secretary Gatmaitan
became the first Minister of Health.
December 2, 1982
- Executive Order No. 851 signed by President Ferdinand E. Marcos reorganized the
Ministry of Health as an integrated health care delivery system.
Aril 3, 1987
- Executive Order No. 119, “Reorganizing the Ministry of Health by President
Corazon c. Aquino saw a major change in the structure of the ministry. It transformed
the Ministry of Health back to the Department of Health.
- EO 119 clustered agencies and programs under the Office for Standards and
regulations and Office of Management Services.
October 10, 1991
- Republic Act 7160 known as the Local Government Code provided for the
decentralization of the entire government.
- Under this law, all structures, personnel and budgetary allocations from the provincial
health level down to the barangays were devolved to the local government units
(LGUs) to facilitate health service delivery.
May 24, 1999
- Executive Order No. 102 “Redirecting the Functions and Operations of the
Department of Health” by President Joseph E. Estrada granted the DOH to proceed
with its rationalization and Streamlining Plan which prescribed the current
organizational, staffing and resource structure consistent with its new mandate, roles
and functions post devolution.
- Mandates the department of Health to provide assistance to LGUs, people’s
organization, and other members of civic society in effectively implementing
programs, projects and services that will promote the health and well being of every
Filipino; prevent and control diseases among population at risks; protect individuals,
families and communities exposed to hazards and risks that could affect their health;
and treat, manage and rehabilitate individuals affected by diseased and disability.
2005 ongoing
- Development of a plan to rationalize the bureaucracy in an attempt to scale down
including the DOH.