ABOUT THE BUREAU

BACKGROUND ON THE BUREAU

Executive Order (E.O.) No. 199 in 1987 reorganized the Ministry of Health, and the Office for Hospital and Facilities Services was one of six offices instituted under the Ministry Proper. The office comprised of four services: Hospital Operations and Management Service, Radiation Health Service, Hospital Maintenance Service, and Health Infrastructure Service. With E.O. No. 292, the Administrative Code of 1987, the Ministry was renamed the Department of Health (DOH).

Republic Act (R.A.) No. 7160, the Local Government Code of 1991, devolved basic health services and facilities to local government units. E.O. No. 102 in 1999 redefined the DOH mandate and provided its roles, powers and functions in a devolved system. The National Center for Health Facility Development (NCHFD) was instituted under the Health Operations Cluster, one of three major clusters under the Office of the Secretary. The NCHFD absorbed the functions of Hospital Operations and Management Service, Hospital Maintenance Service, and Health Infrastructure Service.

In 2013, pursuant to E.O. No. 366, series of 2004, the Department of Budget and Management approved the rationalization plan of the DOH Central and Regional Offices. The Plan renamed the NCHFD to Health Facility Development Bureau (HFDB), and provided three divisions: Facility Assessment and Technical Assistance Division, Facility Planning and Program Development Division, and Infrastructure and Equipment Standards Development Division.

On August 23, 2019, the DOH issued Administrative Order No. 2019-0031 for the establishment and strengthening of the  Health Facility Development Units (HFDUs), the Bureau's counterparts in the Centers for Health Development and the Ministry of  Health - Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

For the implementation of the Universal Health Care Act (R.A. No. 11223), the HFDB was first assigned to the Health Facilities and Infrastructure Development Team (HFIDT). The DOH teams were reconfigured in 2022, and the HFDB was reassigned to the Health Policy and Infrastructure Development Team (HPIDT). Functional divisions in the Bureau were also established: Health Systems Development and Management Support Division, Policy, Planning and Program Development Division, and Research and Performance Management Division. The last division was later reorganized as the Facility Performance Management Division with an approved organizational and staffing pattern from the Department of Budget and Management.

Under Sulong Kalusugan: Health Sector Strategy 2023-2028, and with the 8-Point Action Agenda ("Sa Healthy Pilipinas, Bawat Buhay Mahalaga!"), the Bureau was initially assigned to the Health Facility and Patient Support Team. The Bureau was also directed to supervise the Office for Health Laboratories (OHL), the Philippine Blood Center (PBC), and the Philippine Network for Organ Sharing (PhilNOS). In August 2023, the PBC's supervision was transferred to the Metro Manila Center for Health Development.

Further into the 8-Point Action Agenda implementation, the HFDB was assigned to the Health Regulation and Facility Development Cluster, in which in addition to OHL, was directed to supervise the National Laboratory Response Network Unit, and Health Facilities Enhancement Program Management Office (HFEP-MO).  In December 2023, PhilNOS was reassigned to the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau. In January 2025, HFEP-MO was transferred directly under the Capital Asset Management and Patient Support Cluster. 

(Click here for the HFDB profile on the official Department of Health website in the Philippines.)