Ted Herbosa | |
|---|---|
 Official DOH portrait | |
| 31stSecretary of Health | |
| Assumed office June 5, 2023 | |
| President | Bongbong Marcos |
| Preceded by | Maria Rosario Vergeire (OIC) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Teodoro Javier Herbosa (1959-05-06)May 6, 1959 (age 66)[1] |
| Spouse | Grace Ann Herbosa |
| Alma mater | University of the Philippines Diliman (BS) University of the Philippines Manila (M.D.) |
| Occupation | Physician |
Teodoro Javier Herbosa[2] (born May 6, 1959) is a Filipino physician serving as thesecretary of health since 2023 inthe administration of PresidentBongbong Marcos. He previously served as an undersecretary of theDepartment of Health, executive vice president of theUniversity of the Philippines, and special adviser to theNational Task Force Against COVID-19.
Herbosa graduated fromUniversity of the Philippines Diliman with a bachelor's degree in biology in 1979 and finished his studies in medicine at theUniversity of the Philippines Manila by 1983. During his years at UP, he became a fellow of theUpsilon Sigma Phi. He would accomplish an international diploma course in emergency and crisis management from theUniversity of Geneva in Switzerland and finished his post-graduate studies at theSackler Faculty of Medicine of theTel Aviv University in Israel.[3]
Herbosa was undersecretary at theDepartment of Health (DOH) from 2010 to 2015. He was involved in the formation of the Hospital Accreditation Commission, the modernization of thePhilippine Orthopedic Center, as well as the promotion of public-private partnerships in the health sector of the Philippines.[4]
Herbosa was a special adviser to theNational Task Force Against COVID-19, a government body formed to respond to theCOVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines during the administration of PresidentRodrigo Duterte.[5]
He expressed anti-communist sentiments during his tenure.[3] He would allege that thecommunity pantries initiative which was launched as a response to the pandemic to be linked to theCommunist rebellion. He was criticized for "death by community pantry" post inTwitter in reaction to a death of an old man lining up in a pantry inQuezon City for perceived apathy.[6] He would clarify that he is not against the concept of community pantries as long as the safety of people are taken care of.[7]
Herbosa in August 2021 would also receive criticism for another post honoring health workers onNational Heroes' Day which specifically excluded those who opt to protest.[8]
Herbosa was executive vice president of theUniversity of the Philippines System during the administration ofUP PresidentDanilo Concepcion. He served the role from October 2017 to April 2021. He resigned from the post in April 2021 for "personal reasons" after receiving intense criticism over a controversial remark on community pantries.[9][10]
_Secretary_Rex_Gatchalian_and_Department_of_Health_(DOH)_Secretary_Teodoro_Herbosa.jpg)
Herbosa would be appointed assecretary of health by PhilippinePresidentBongbong Marcos on June 5, 2023, and took oath the following day.[11]
Herbosa's appointment was backed by thePhilippine Medical Association, with whom he is a "life member", which endorsed him as secretary back in June 2022.[2] He was also supported by thePhilippine College of Physicians shortly after his appointment in 2023. The Alliance of Health Workers meanwhile opposed his appointment on part of his support for privatization of government hospitals during his tenure as undersecretary which is in opposition to the group's advocacy of "free and quality health services" in public health institutions.[11]
He would apologize for what he "said before" which the media linked to his prior statements regarding community pantries and health worker protests.[12][13][14]
Representing the Philippines, Herbosa was elected president of the 78th session of theWorld Health Assembly (WHA78) in May 2025. It was the first time for the Philippines to take on that role.[15]
He is married to physician Grace Ann Banson.[5]
He is also a descendant of Lucia Rizal Mercado, the sister ofJosé Rizal, widely considered to be the Philippines' national hero, as well as a great-grandnephew ofDelfina Herbosa de Natividad, one of the three women who sew the first Philippine flag.[16]
Media related toTeodoro Herbosa at Wikimedia Commons| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Secretary of Health 2023–present | Incumbent |
| Order of precedence | ||
| Preceded byasSecretary of National Defense | Order of Precedence of the Philippines asSecretary of Health | Succeeded byasSecretary of Trade and Industry |