# 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).

## Functions

The following are the functions of the secretary of health:
* 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

| No. | Secretary | Took office | Left office | President |
| Secretary of Public Instruction, Health and Welfare ||||||
| 1 | Juan Nolasco | November 15, 1935 | December 24, 1941 | Manuel L. Quezon |
| 2 | Sergio Osmeña (1878–1961) | December 24, 1941 | August 1, 1944 | Manuel L. Quezon |
| Commissioner of Education, Health and Welfare ||||||
| 3 | Claro M. Recto (1890–1960) | January 26, 1942 | October 14, 1943 | Jorge B. Vargas |
| Minister of Education, Health and Public Welfare ||||||
| – | Gabriel Mañalac | October 20, 1943 | January 1, 1944 | Jose P. Laurel |
| Minister of Health, Labor and Public Welfare ||||||
| 4 | Emiliano Tría Tirona (1883–1952) | January 4, 1944 | 1945 | Jose P. Laurel |
| Secretary of Health and Public Welfare ||||||
| 5 | Basilio Valdes (1892–1970) | February 27, 1945 | April 1945 | Sergio Osmeña |
| 6 | Jose Locsin (1891–1977) | June 29, 1945 | May 27, 1946 | Sergio Osmeña |
| 7 | Antonio Villarama | May 28, 1946 | October 4, 1947 | Manuel Roxas |
| Secretary of Health ||||||
| (7) | Antonio Villarama | October 4, 1947 | December 31, 1949 | Manuel Roxas |
| (7) | Antonio Villarama | October 4, 1947 | December 31, 1949 | Elpidio Quirino |
| 8 | Juan Salcedo Jr. (1904–1988) | December 14, 1950 | May 1954 | Elpidio Quirino |
| 8 | Juan Salcedo Jr. (1904–1988) | December 14, 1950 | May 1954 | Ramon Magsaysay |
| 9 | Paulino Garcia | June 1954 | June 1958 | Ramon Magsaysay |
| 9 | Paulino Garcia | June 1954 | June 1958 | Carlos P. Garcia |
| 10 | Elpidio Valencia | July 1958 | December 30, 1961 | Carlos P. Garcia |
| 11 | Francisco Duque Jr. | December 30, 1961 | July 1963 | Diosdado Macapagal |
| 12 | Floro Dabu | July 1963 | December 1964 | Diosdado Macapagal |
| 13 | Manuel Cuenco | December 1964 | December 30, 1965 | Diosdado Macapagal |
| (9) | Paulino Garcia | December 30, 1965 | August 2, 1968 | Ferdinand Marcos |
| 14 | Amadeo Cruz | August 2, 1968 | December 25, 1971 | Ferdinand Marcos |
| 15 | Clemente Gatmaitan | December 25, 1971 | June 2, 1978 | Ferdinand Marcos |
| Minister of Health ||||||
| (15) | Clemente Gatmaitan | June 2, 1978 | July 23, 1979 | Ferdinand Marcos |
| 16 | Enrique Garcia | July 24, 1979 | June 30, 1981 | Ferdinand Marcos |
| 17 | Jesus Azurin | July 25, 1981 | February 25, 1986 | Ferdinand Marcos |
| 18 | Alfredo Bengzon (born 1935) | March 25, 1986 | February 11, 1987 | Corazon Aquino |
| Secretary of Health ||||||
| (18) | Alfredo Bengzon (born 1935) | February 11, 1987 | February 7, 1992 | Corazon Aquino |
| 19 | Antonio Periquet | February 10, 1992 | June 30, 1992 | Corazon Aquino |
| 20 | Juan Flavier (1935–2014) | July 1, 1992 | January 30, 1995 | Fidel V. Ramos |
| 21 | Jaime Galvez-Tan | January 30, 1995 | July 5, 1995 | Fidel V. Ramos |
| 22 | Hilarion Ramiro Jr. | July 10, 1995 | March 22, 1996 | Fidel V. Ramos |
| 23 | Carmencita Reodica | April 8, 1996 | June 29, 1998 | Fidel V. Ramos |
| 24 | Felipe Estrella | June 30, 1998 | September 13, 1998 | Joseph Estrada |
| 25 | Alberto Romualdez (1940–2013) | September 14, 1998 | January 20, 2001 | Joseph Estrada |
| 26 | Manuel Dayrit | January 20, 2001 | June 1, 2005 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| 27 | Francisco Duque III (born 1957) | June 1, 2005 | September 1, 2009 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| 28 | Esperanza Cabral | September 1, 2009 | June 30, 2010 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| 29 | Enrique Ona (born 1939) | June 30, 2010 | December 19, 2014 | Benigno Aquino III |
| 30 | Janette Garin (born 1972) | February 17, 2015 | June 30, 2016 | Benigno Aquino III |
| – | Paulyn Ubial (born 1962) | June 30, 2016 | October 10, 2017 | Rodrigo Duterte |
| – | Herminigildo Valle | October 12, 2017 | October 25, 2017 | Rodrigo Duterte |
| (27) | Francisco Duque III (born 1957) | October 26, 2017 | June 30, 2022 | Rodrigo Duterte |
| – | Maria Rosario Vergeire | July 14, 2022 | June 5, 2023 | Bongbong Marcos |
| 31 | Ted Herbosa (born 1959) | June 5, 2023 | Incumbent | Bongbong Marcos |