Secretary of Health (Philippines)

The secretary of health (Filipino: Kalihim ng Kalusugan) is the Cabinet of the Philippines member who is in charge of the Department of Health. The secretary of health is also the ex-officio chairperson of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).^[1][2]

Secretary of Health
Kalihim ng Kalusugan
Seal
Incumbent Ted Herbosa since June 5, 2023
Style	The Honorable
Appointer	The president with the consent of the Commission on Appointments
Term length	No fixed term
Inaugural holder	Dr. Juan G. Nolasco
Formation	November 15, 1935
Website	www.doh.gov.ph

Functions

The following are the functions of the secretary of health:^[3]

• Advise the president of the Philippines on the promulgation of department orders, rules, regulations and other issuances related to health;
• Establish policies and standards for the effective, efficient and economical operations of the department in accordance with the programs of government;
• Promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out department objectives, policies, plans, programs and projects;
• Exercise supervision and control over all functions and activities of the department ;
• Delegate authority for the performance of any administrative or substantive function to any undersecretary or other officials of appropriate rank at the department; and
• Perform such other functions as may be provided by law or appropriately assigned by the president.

List of secretaries of health

#	Image	Name	Position	Tenure started	Tenure ended	President
1		Juan Nolasco	Secretary of Public Instruction, Health and Welfare[4]	November 15, 1935	December 24, 1941	Manuel L. Quezon
2[a]		Sergio Osmeña (1878–1961) [5]		December 24, 1941	August 1, 1944
3		Claro M. Recto (1890–1960) [6]	Commissioner of Education, Health and Welfare	January 26, 1942	October 14, 1943	Jorge B. Vargas[b]
–[c]		Gabriel Mañalac [7]	Minister of Education, Health and Public Welfare	October 20, 1943	January 1, 1944	Jose P. Laurel
4		Emiliano Tría Tirona (1883–1952) [8]	Minister of Health, Labor and Public Welfare	January 4, 1944	1945
5		Basilio Valdes (1892–1970)	Secretary of Health and Public Welfare[9]	February 27, 1945	April 1945	Sergio Osmeña
6		Jose Locsin (1891–1977)		June 29, 1945	May 27, 1946
7		Antonio Villarama		May 28, 1946	October 4, 1947	Manuel Roxas
			Secretary of Health[10]	October 4, 1947	December 31, 1949
						Elpidio Quirino
8		Juan Salcedo Jr. (1904–1988)		December 14, 1950	May 1954
						Ramon Magsaysay
9		Paulino Garcia		June 1954	June 1958
						Carlos P. Garcia
10		Elpidio Valencia		July 1958	December 30, 1961
11		Francisco Duque Jr.		December 30, 1961	July 1963	Diosdado Macapagal
12		Floro Dabu		July 1963	December 1964
13		Manuel Cuenco		December 1964	December 30, 1965
(9)		Paulino Garcia		December 30, 1965	August 2, 1968	Ferdinand Marcos
14		Amadeo Cruz		August 2, 1968	December 25, 1971
15		Clemente Gatmaitan		December 25, 1971	June 2, 1978
			Minister of Health[11]	June 2, 1978	July 23, 1979
16		Enrique Garcia		July 24, 1979	June 30, 1981
17		Jesus Azurin		July 25, 1981	February 25, 1986
18		Alfredo Bengzon (born 1935)		March 25, 1986	February 11, 1987	Corazon Aquino
			Secretary of Health[12]	February 11, 1987	February 7, 1992
19		Antonio Periquet		February 10, 1992	June 30, 1992
20		Juan Flavier (1935–2014)		July 1, 1992	January 30, 1995	Fidel V. Ramos
21		Jaime Galvez-Tan		January 30, 1995	July 5, 1995
22		Hilarion Ramiro Jr.		July 10, 1995	March 22, 1996
23		Carmencita Reodica		April 8, 1996	June 29, 1998
24		Felipe Estrella		June 30, 1998	September 13, 1998	Joseph Estrada
25		Alberto Romualdez (1940–2013)		September 14, 1998	January 20, 2001
26		Manuel Dayrit		January 20, 2001	June 1, 2005	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
27		Francisco Duque III (born 1957)		June 1, 2005	September 1, 2009
28		Esperanza Cabral		September 1, 2009	June 30, 2010
29		Enrique Ona (born 1939) [13]		June 30, 2010	December 19, 2014	Benigno Aquino III
30		Janette Garin (born 1972)		February 17, 2015	June 30, 2016
–[d]		Paulyn Ubial (born 1962) [14][15]		June 30, 2016	October 10, 2017	Rodrigo Duterte
–[e]		Herminigildo Valle [16]		October 12, 2017	October 25, 2017
(27)		Francisco Duque III (born 1957) [17]		October 26, 2017	June 30, 2022
–[e]		Maria Rosario Vergeire		July 14, 2022	June 5, 2023	Bongbong Marcos
31		Ted Herbosa (born 1959)		June 5, 2023	Incumbent

Notes

1. In concurrent capacity as Vice President.
2. As Chairman of the Philippine Executive Commission.
3. Acting secretary.
4. Interim secretary.
5. Officer in charge.