This is an administrative case against Dr. Alejandro C. Baltazar, City Health Officer of Cebu, who is charged with gross negligence, incompetence and inefficiency, lack of professional and civil service qualifications, allofness from professional and civic organizations, etc. The charges were looked into by the Department of Health which recommends that they be dropped for lack of merit.

After going over the papers of the case, I am satisfied that the charges have not been substantiated. It appears that respondent has done his best to improve public health and sanitation in the city but his efforts in this direction have not been successful for lack of funds; that although he has not taken post-graduate work in public health, he is a graduate of the Oklahoma State Medical College and has to his credit more than sixteen years of service as a public health officer; that he is a civil service eligible, having passed the junior health officer examination given by the Bureau of Civil Service in 1949; and that he is a member of the Philippine Public Health Association and an honorary member of the Cebu Dental Association. Certificates from persons representing local health and civic organizations show that he has not neglected his professional and social obligations.

In view of the foregoing, the charges against Dr. Alejandro C. Baltazar are hereby dropped and he is exonerated therefrom.

Done in the City of Manila, this 23rd day of December, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and fifty-three, and of the Independence of the Philippines, the eighth.


By the President:

(Sgd.) MARCIANO ROQUE
Acting Executive Secretary