Secretary Francisco T. Duque III on Tuesday signed a department memorandum (copy enclosed) ordering all officials and employees of the Department of Health, including attached agencies, to disclose and manage conflicts of interest in relation to the use of pharmaceutical products and medical devices.
Secretary Duque, who previously served as Chairman of the Civil Service Commission and a known advocate of good governance, issued the memorandum in light of the government’s thrust to promote transparency and to prevent corrupt practices.
“I have instructed all personnel, including consultants and resource speakers, to strictly abide by the DOH rules on the management of any potential conflicts of interest,” Duque said.
The health chief also reminded the personnel that the DOH Code of Ethics strictly implements the “No Gift-Giving Policy” and prohibits any remuneration whether directly or indirectly, in cash or in kind, in return for deals, transactions or purchase of services or health products covered by the DOH.
Secretary Duque is keen on bringing transformational leadership to the department he once headed more than ten years ago.
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