The preparation, classification, review, approval, dissemination, use and monitoring of administrative issuances have been substantially updated under DOH Administrative Order No. 32, s. 1994 to take effect July 15, 1994.

For consistency in the Department's policy on administrative issuances and uniformity of official action, the following supplementary instructions are hereby issued to govern the preparation of administrative issuances by other heads of major offices and organizational units of the Department of Health:

Types of Administrative Issuances

The different major offices and organizational units are hereby authorized to issue only the following administrative issuances:

a. Office Orders, Office Circulars and Office Memoranda - Offices of the Undersecretaries

b. Bureau Orders, Bureau Circulars and Bureau Memoranda - Line and staff bureaus

c. Service Orders, Service Circulars and Service Memoranda - Services/Programs

d. Regional Field Office Orders, Regional Field Office Circulars and Regional Field Office Memoranda - Regional Field Offices

e. Hospital Orders, Hospital Circulars and Hospital Memoranda - Special Hospitals, Medical Centers, Regional Hospitals, Sanitaria

These Administrative Issuances shall be applicable only to their respective areas of jurisdiction. In cases where desired actions will involve other offices or organizational units, the said Administrative Issuances shall be signed by the Undersecretary of Health concerned. Similarly, in cases where policy implications may arise, the Issuances shall be signed by the Secretary of Health.

A. Preparation and Classification

1. Subject matter shall be the basis for classifying the type of Administrative Issuances, the scope of each category of Administrative Issuance is spelled out in detail in the general instructions of Administrative Order No. 32, s. 1994.

2. Administrative Issuances to be issued shall not be in conflict with existing laws, DOH policies and standards or duly promulgated rules and regulations.

3. The letterhead of the Office of the Undersecretary shall be used if the matter treated in the administrative issuance is inherent in his/her position. If it is by delegated authority of the Secretary of Health, the official letterhead of the latter shall be used.

4. Department Heads of hospitals which operate departmentalized services shall be allowed to prepare/issue administrative issuances involving their respective units subject to the approval of the Hospital Chief concerned.

5. The format of all Administrative Issuances shall strictly observe the format embodied under Administrative Order No. 32, s. 1994.

6. Henceforth, the following statement occasionally appearing as the final paragraph of an issuance, viz "...is hereby declared official, confirmed and made of record" shall no longer be inserted in Administrative Issuances. The phrase "in the interest of the service" when deemed essential, shall be an integral part of the primary opening statement of the order.

B. Review and Approval

7. All administrative issuances shall be reviewed by the Administrative Officer or the Administrative Officer-designate in each of the offices. If an administrative issuance has been erroneously classified, it shall be returned to the initiating staff for revision before further due course is given thereon.

8. Upon review, these shall be signed by the head of office or a duly designated staff.

9. The DOH Records Section shall be responsible for the receipt, numbering, release/distribution and filing of administrative issuances signed by the Undersecretary of Health concerned. The original and duplicate copies of such issuances shall be filed separately for better records protection. Only certified true copies shall be mailed/distributed to the addressees thereof.

10. The Records Officer of the Bureau/Service/Hospital/Regional Office shall be responsible for receiving, numbering, classifying, releasing/distribution of administrative issuances issued by the respective offices. The original and duplicate copies thereof shall be filed separately for better records protection. Certified true copies only shall be mailed/distributed to the addressees thereof.

11. The heads of offices will be responsible for the dissemination of Issuances to their respective staff.

12. A staff shall be assigned to monitor the unit's Administrative issuance system to ensure compliance with this order.

Any administrative issuance in conflict with this order is hereby revoked, rescinded and declared ineffective immediately.

Adopted: 08 July 1994

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