The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Philippines, formerly the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD; 1982–2009), is a health regulatory agency under the Department of Health created in 1963 by Republic Act No. 3720, amended in 1987 by Executive Order 175 otherwise known as the “Food, Drugs and Devices, and Cosmetics Act”, and subsequently reorganized by Republic Act No. 9711 otherwise known as “The Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009”. The agency is responsible for licensing, monitoring, and regulating of cosmetics, drugs, foods, household hazardous products, medical devices and electromagnetic radiation emitting devices, pesticides, tobacco, and related products, and vaccines for safety, efficacy, and quality in the Republic of the Philippines.

The Philippine FDA is led by the Director General appointed by the President of the Philippines and two deputies for Internal Management and Field Regulatory Operations. Usec. Dr. Samuel Zacate, MD is the Director General since August 3, 2022. The FDA has its central office in Alabang, Muntinlupa. The agency has 4 centers located at its central office and 5 clusters of field regulatory operations and 4 laboratories located throughout the archipelago. The agency also grants accreditation to private sector laboratories for testing for COVID-19.

Do you have what it takes to become part of the FDA Team? Are you what the FDA is looking for? If you are willing to get a job at the Food and Drug Administration, apply now! Below is/are the hyperlinked headline which you can access the available job vacancy:

READ MORE: FDA has opportunities available to apply

How to Apply

All qualified next-in-rank personnel shall be automatically considered candidates for promotion. For all interested GDA regular employees including the qualified next-in-rank candidates, they are required to submit item numbers 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 listed hereunder, to the FDA- Human Resource Development Division (HRDD). Failure to do so shall be deemed waiver of their right to be included as candidates for the positions applied for. Further, please be advised that those employees with at least Very Satisfactory (VS) rating in the last two (2) Performance Rating periods shall be considered for promotion.

Other interested applicants shall submit the following documents to Food and Drug Administration – Human Resource Development Division for initial documentary review and evaluation:

  • Application Letter with the specific position and center/office applying for (Please indicate Item Number for Plantilla Positions);
  • Duly Accomplished Personal Data Sheet (CS Form 212) (downloadable HERE);
  • Qualification Profile (Annex 1) (Required only if applying for PLANTILLA POSITIONS. Downloadable at www.fda.gov.ph/about/careers)
  • Civil Service (CS) Eligibility/ Board Rating & valid Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) ID;
  • Diploma in any relevant Master’s/ Bachelor’s Degree and Transcript of Records;
  • Performance Rating for the last two (2) rating periods (for government employees);
  • Certificates of trainings attended, (if there is required number of hours of training in the in the position you are applying for) (in case of managerial/ supervisory trainings for the last 5 years); and
  • Latest Appointment and Service Record/ Certificate of Employment. (FDA Job Order Personnel do not need to submit this document)

NOTES:

  1. Applicants are advised to secure certified true copies/ authenticated copies of documents specified in item numbers 4, 5, and 6 the soonest time, in case of appointment to the position applied for.
  2. Applicants are only limited to apply up to two (2) vacancies in Contract of Service Positions and Plantilla Positions respectively.

*Online submission of applications is now accepted.

History

Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque Sr. created a subcommittee on Food and Drugs in 1961–62 to initiate an administration bill to Congress to enact a law that would ensure the safety, purity and quality of foods, drugs and cosmetics being made available to the public. The Subcommittee on Food and Drug was chaired by the then Undersecretary for Special Health Services, Dr. Rodolfo Caños, with members Dr. Trinidad Pesigan, Director of the Bureau of Research and Laboratories, Mr. Emilio Espinosa of the Bureau of Health Services, Ms. Amor Cita M. Pallera, Pharmacy Adviser, Office of the Secretary of Health, also as Secretary and Liaison to Congress. Thus, on June 22, 1963, Republic Act No. 3720 was passed into law known as the “Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act”.

To carry out the provisions of R.A. 3720, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was created with offices and laboratories constructed in the DOH San Lazaro Compound, Sta. Cruz, Manila at a cost of about Php 2.5M. The Food and Drug Administration became operational with the appointment of its first FDA Administrator, Ms. Luzonica M. Pesigan on May 25, 1966, to Dec. 7, 1977 with Mr. Emilio Espinosa as Deputy Director. By Virtue of R.A. 3720, the powers, functions and duties of the Division of Food and Drug Testing of the Bureau of Research and Laboratories and the Board of Food Inspection, all personnel together with all their equipment, supplies, records, files and balance of appropriations were transferred to the FDA.

With the Integrated Reorganization Plan of 1973, the Narcotic Drugs Division, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Finance was Transferred to the Food and Drug Administration headed by Ms. Conception M. Fernandez who retired in 1975 with Ms. Rita V. Caoile as the next chief of the same. Mrs. Catalina C. Sanchez took over as the next chief of the Narcotic Drugs Division in 1976.

On December 2, 1982, Executive Order No. 851 by Section 4, under the Minister of Health Hon. Jesus M. Azurin, The FDA was abolished and created the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD). Mrs. Catalina C. Sanchez was appointed the first Director of the BFAD on Feb. 20, 1984 and took her oath on Feb. 28, 1984.

In 1987, the Bureau moved to its new site in Alabang, Muntinlupa, and acquired new facilities including state-of-the-art analytical instruments and a modern experimental animal laboratory with the $12M grant from the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). This new BFAD in Alabang became operational on April 30, 1987.

In 1987, R.A. 3720 was amended by Executive Order 175 to the new title “Foods, Drugs, and Devices and Cosmetics Act”.

It was also on the same occasion of the inauguration of this new BFAD facility that Pres. Corazon C. Aquino declared publicly the Philippine National Drug Policy (PNDP) together with its four pillars, i.e., Quality Assurance, Rational Use of Drugs, Self-Reliance, and Tailored Procurement. Based on the issuance of E.O. Nos. 174 and 175 amendments to R.A. 5921 “The Pharmacy Law” and R.A. 3720 “Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act” respectively, the Philippine National Drug Policy was organized. Executive Order No. 851 was superseded by E.O. No. 119 s. 1987 under Hon. Alfredo R. A. Bengzon, Sec. of Health, that again reorganized the BFAD on the basis of Administrative Order (A.O.) No. 30 s. 1987, Provisions to Implement the Reorganization of the Department of Health.

Executive Order No. 102 dated May 24, 1999 was signed and redirected the functions and operations of the Department of Health, with then Hon. Alberto G. Romualdez, Sec. of Health, wherein BFAD was expanded with an added Division, the Policy, Planning, and Advocacy Division. The joining of the National Drug Policy workforce with that of BFAD in Alabang, further strengthened the Bureau to meet new challenges in serving the interests of the Filipino people consistent with the Philippine National Drug Policy and the National Health Policy.

Republic Act No. 9711, an act strengthening and rationalizing the regulatory capacity of the Bureau of Food and Drugs by establishing adequate testing laboratories and field offices, upgrading its equipment, augmenting its human resources complement, giving authority to retain its income, renaming it the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), amending certain sections of Republic Act No. 3720, was signed by President on August 18, 2009.
Source: Food and Drug Administration