Enrique Ona
Enrique Ona | |
---|---|
Secretary of the Philippine Department of Health | |
In office June 30, 2010 – December 19, 2014[1] | |
President | Benigno Aquino III |
Preceded by | Esperanza Cabral |
Succeeded by | Janette Garin |
Executive Director of National Kidney and Transplant Institute | |
In office 1999–2010 | |
President | Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo |
Succeeded by | Aileen Riego-Javier |
Personal details | |
Born | - June 4, 1939 Sagay, Negros Occidental, Commonwealth of the Philippines |
Died | - - - |
Resting place | - - - |
Parent |
|
Alma mater | University of the Philippines Manila |
Occupation | Surgeon Government official |
Profession | Doctor |
Dr. Enrique Tangonan Ona, Jr.[2] (born June 4, 1939) is a Filipino surgeon and public servant. He was the Secretary of the Department of Health from 2010 to 2014, succeeding Dr. Esperanza Cabral. Recognized as one of the top surgeons in the field of vascular surgery and organ transplantation, he earned his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine at the University of the Philippines Manila.
Background
Dr. Ona hails from Pagadian City. He is the son of the first Provincial Health Officer of Zamboanga del Sur.[3]
Before being appointed by President Benigno Aquino III to the Health secretary post, Ona was the executive director of the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI), the post he held for 11 years[4] and has been the president of the Transplantation Society of the Philippines since 1989. He also holds a medical license in the state of Massachusetts, United States.
Health Secretary
After being appointed to the Health Department post, president Benigno Aquino III has instructed him "with regard to expediting universal coverage of PhilHealth, which was one of the campaign promises of Aquino considering that health is the third priority in the platform of the Aquino administration."[4]
One of Ona's contributions as Secretary of Health was the DOH-FDA Administrative Order 2010-0008, which mandated all companies to include in all advertisements, promotional, and/or sponsorship activities or materials concerning food/dietary supplements the following phrase:
- MAHALAGANG PAALALA: ANG (NAME OF PRODUCT) AY HINDI GAMOT AT HINDI DAPAT GAMITING PANGGAMOT SA ANUMANG URI NG SAKIT [Important reminder: (Name of product) is not a medicinal drug and should not be used to treat the symptoms of any disease.]
Fearing that the new directive may impact food/dietary supplement companies in a negative way, the Chamber of Herbal Industries of the Philippines (composed of over 65 firms in the country engaged in the manufacture, research and distribution of these products) filed a petition for injunction against it at the Manila Regional Trial Court in May 2010. Presiding judge Lilia Purugganan granted it, however, it was lifted in November 18, 2014 after the DOH won its appeal at the Court of Appeals.[5][6]
Awards and recognition
- The Presidential Award of Recognition in Organ Transplantation, Year 2000.
- Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awardee for Medicine in 1979.
References
- ^ http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/658206/its-final-ona-quits
- ^ "PHI brods headline UPMAS Homecoming Ball 2013". Phi Kappa Mu. December 20, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
- ^ "The President's Men and Women: DOH chief to promote reproductive health". Philstar. 2010-07-07. Retrieved 2010-07-11.[dead link]
- ^ a b "Profile of Aquino's Cabinet members". Sunstar. 2010-07-03. Archived from the original on 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
{{cite web}}
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