Ted Herbosa

Teodoro Javier Herbosa (born May 6, 1959) is a Filipino physician who serves as the Secretary of the Department of Health of the Philippines since June 5, 2023.

Herbosa is an alumnus of the University of the Philippines. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology in 1979 and finished his studies in medicine in the same university by 1983. He would accomplish an international diploma course in emergency and crisis management from the University of Geneva in Switzerland and finished his post-graduate studies at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine of the Tel Aviv University in Israel.

Department of Health

Undersecretary (2010–2015)

Herbosa was undersecretary at the Department of Health (DOH) from 2010 to 2015. He was involved in the formation of the Hospital Accreditation Commission, the modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center, as well as the promotion of public-private partnerships in the health sector of the Philippines.

Secretary (2023–)

Herbosa would be appointed as Secretary of the DOH by Philippine President Bongbong Marcos on June 5, 2023, and took oath the following day.

Herbosa's appointment is backed by the Philippine Medical Association, with whom he is a "life member", which endorsed him as secretary back in June 2022. He is also supported by the Philippine 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.

He would apologize for what he "said before" which the media linked to his prior statements regarding community pantries and health worker protests.

National Task Force Against COVID-19

Herbosa was a special adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19, a government body formed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

He expressed anti-communist sentiments during his tenure. He would allege that the community pantries initiative which was launched as a response to the pandemic to be linked to the Communist rebellion. He was criticized for "death by community panty" post in Twitter in reaction to a death of an old man lining up in a pantry in Quezon City for perceived apathy. He would clarify that he is not against the concept of community pantries as long as the safety of people are taken care of.

Herbosa in August 2021 would also receive criticism for another post honoring health workers on National Heroes' Day which specifically excluded those who opt to protest.

University of the Philippines (2017–2021)

Herbosa was executive vice president of the University of the Philippines System during the administration of UP President Danilo Concepcion. He served the role from October 2017 to April 2021, shortly after he made a controversial remark on community pantries for "personal reasons".

He is married to Grace Ann Herbosa.

He is also a descendant of Lucia Rizal Mercado, the sister of José Rizal, widely considered to be the Philippines' national hero, as well as a great-grand-nephew of Delfina Herbosa de Natividad, one of the three women who sew the first Philippine flag.