Pursuant to the authority vested in me as Secretary of Health under Section 3, Chapter I, Title IX, Book IV of the Administrative Code of 1987 and in the interest of service, the following instructions are hereby issued in the preparation, classification, review, approval, dissemination, use and monitoring of administrative issuances in the Department of Health for strict compliance of all officials and employees:

Statement of Policy

Administrative Issuances are official instruments or documents which embody management policies, guidelines, directives, instructions and reminders. They provide a sound legal basis for the proper implementation of programs and official actions taken at all organizational levels. As such, these should be properly and expeditiously disseminated for they are among the most vital tools for effective and efficient health administration.

Effectivity and Types of Administrative Issuances to be Issued

Effective July 15, 1994, only the following types of administrative issuances shall be issued at the Department level:

a. Administrative Order refers to an issuance which provides policies, general standards, rules and guidelines to implement health laws. This also includes general instructions for the proper, efficient and effective administration of each or all entities of the Department based on existing laws.

a.1	It shall cover, but not limited to, the following subject matters:

a.1.1 Organizational changes mandated by law

a.1.2 Transfer of field offices to other geographical areas

a.1.3 Department policies and standards governing health services

a.1.4 Rules and regulations to implement health laws

a.1.5 Functions of offices and their respective divisions under the Department-wide reorganization

a.2	It shall be confined to matters which are of general scope and permanent in character, and which fall under the jurisdiction of the Department.
a.3	Where rules and regulations to implement health policies are specifically covered by special laws, they shall not take effect unless signed/approved by the Secretary of Health and published in the Official Gazette or any newspaper of general circulation, three (3) certified copies thereof filed with the U.P. Law Center as required by existing laws, rules and regulations.
a.4	It shall not prescribe penalties for its violation unless expressly authorized by law or regulation issued by the proper authorities.
a.5	It shall have the effect of the law for which it is issued until rescinded or amended.

b. Department Order contains instructions to a particular person or group of persons on matters of administrative detail.

b.1	It shall cover, but not limited to, the following:

b.1.1 Instructions to personnel undertaking specific assignment whether permanent or temporary.

b.1.2 Instructions to personnel undertaking travel or field trip for a specific purpose and duration.

b.1.3 Transfer of personnel from one official station to another.

b.1.4 Attendance to conferences on official business.

b.1.5 Assignment of personnel not otherwise delegated to lower level officials.

b.1.6 Designation of Officer-In-Charge of specific offices and duration.

b.1.7 Designation of Special Disbursing Officers

b.1.8 Delegation of authority to subordinate officials on a department-wide basis.

b.1.9 Creation of committees/groups to perform specific assignments.

c. Department Circular deals with matters which usually refer to the internal administration of offices, bureaus and services under the Department such as the formulation of guidelines for their compliance, reference or guidance, or general instructions coming from other offices related to Department activities.

c.1	It shall cover, but not limited to, any of the following subjects:

c.1.1 Memorandum Circulars of the Civil Service Commission on personnel matters.

c.1.2 Budget Circulars of the Department of Budget and Management requiring compliance or information.

c.1.3 Presidential issuances such as executive orders, proclamations, memorandum orders, administrative orders and memorandum circulars.

c.1.4 General Circulars of the Commission on Audit

c.1.5 Circulars of the Government Service Insurance System.

c.1.6 Relevant court opinions and pertinent rulings of the Department of Justice.

c.1.7 Invitations of professional/scientific organizations and other government organizations related to the attendance on official time of DOH personnel in their workshops.

c.1.8 Attendance of personnel in DOH and other government-sponsored activities on official time.

c.1.9 Relevant court opinions and rulings of the Department of Justice.

c.2	It shall not prescribe penalties for its violation unless expressly authorized by law or regulation issued by the proper authorities.

d. Department Memorandum serves as a reminder of matters dealt with in previous administrative issuances. It is a general communication addressed to heads of offices by their position titles on a department-wide level.

d.1	It shall cover, but not limited to, any of the following matters.

d.1.1 Required budgetary reports to be submitted to the Department of Budget and Management

d.1.2 Required annual report on personnel to the Civil Service Commission

d.1.3 Required reports to be submitted to the Commission on Audit

d.2	It shall not prescribe penalties for violation thereof unless expressly authorized by law or regulation issued by the authorities concerned.

General Instructions

The preparation, classification, approval, dissemination, use and monitoring of administrative issuances shall be governed by the following:

e. Preparation/classification:

e.1	An issuance shall cover only one subject matter at a time which shall be clearly specified in the subject heading.
e.2.	An issuance may be initiated and/or prepared by a major office, bureau, service, regional office or medical center.
e.3	It shall be prepared in accordance with the prescribed formats as shown in Annex 1, using the official stationery of the Office of the Secretary.

f. Review/Approval

f.1	For clearance, all issuances shall pass through the Undersecretary of Health concerned who shall review them for accuracy, consistency and conformity with existing policies and standards.
f.2	Issuances on policies particularly Administrative Orders shall also be coursed through the Health Policy Development Staff for review. Similarly, issuances involving administrative matters shall be coursed through the Administrative Service for review.
f.3	Key officials who initiated and reviewed the issuance shall indicate their initials on the duplicate copy of the issuance below the signature and position title of the Secretary of Health to show proof of review and concurrence with its contents.
f.4	All Administrative Issuances with department-wide implications and which will establish precedents and those involving outside agencies shall be signed and approved by the Secretary of Health. All others shall be delegated to the Undersecretaries.
f.5	Unless otherwise specified, issuances shall take effect on the date upon receipt of the office or person concerned.

g. Dissemination

g.1	Every Administrative Issuances shall be properly identified as such and chronologically numbered by the DOH Records Officer Each type of issuance shall begin with number 1 for each calendar year.
g.2	When an issuance has been inadvertently and incorrectly classified, the DOH Records Officer shall immediately inform the Office concerned for correction thereof.
g.3	The original and duplicate copies of all these issuances with corresponding documents shall be filed separately by the DOH Records Officer for safekeeping and future reference.
g.4	Certified true copies of the approved issuances shall be expeditiously disseminated to all heads of offices, bureaus, services, regional field offices and medical centers who in turn shall be responsible in providing copies thereof to their respective/concerned staff.
g.5	The heads of offices shall also discuss the issuances with their staff.

h. Use/Monitoring:

h.1	Implementation and monitoring of compliance with approved classification of administrative issuances shall be the responsibility of the heads of Offices or Services within the Department which initiated the issuances.
h.2	The Administrative Service shall take charge of the overall implementation and monitoring of the Administrative Issuance System.

Any administrative issuance prepared and issued which is not in accordance with these regulations after July 15, 1994 shall be deemed revoked and without force and effect.

Administrative Order 111, s. 1963 amending Administrative Orders Nos. 85 and 86 series of 1960, are hereby modified accordingly.

Adopted: 04 July 1994

(SGD.) JUAN M. FLAVIER, M.D., M.P.H.
Secretary of Health