Heroes Hall, Malacañang
18 December 2013

President Benigno S. Aquino III awarded the prestigious ISO 9001:2008 certification to the Department of Health, the first and biggest government agency under the executive branch to have a department-wide Quality Management System (QMS) under a single ISO 9001:2008 certification.

The ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certification covers all the DOH’s 17 different bureaus and offices in the Central Office and 16 regional health offices, called Center for Health Department, around the country.

Aside from the DOH offices, six tertiary care hospitals and the lone attached agency, the Food and Drug Administration, were also awarded.

“Ano po ba ang ibig sabihin ng tagumpay na ito para sa karaniwang Pilipino? Simple lang po: Kaakibat ng repormang ito ang mas mabilis, mas epektibo, at de-kalidad na serbisyong pangkalusugan para sa ating mga kababayan. Dahil sa mahigpit na pagsunod sa mga pamantayan ng ISO, napapaunlad ang proseso ng dokumentasyon, pagpaplano, monitoring, feedback at pagkamit sa mga target ng iba’t ibang kagawaran ng mga opisina’t ospital, gayundin ang pagsisiguro sa ligtas, maaasahan, at de-kalidad na pasilidad o kagamitan ng mga ito. Lahat ng inisyatibang ito, nakasentro sa higit na pag-aaruga, at pagtataas ng antas ng pagbibigay-kalinga sa ating mga Boss – ang sambayanang Pilipino,” President Aquino said.

The ISO 9001:2008 given to the DOH was certified by Certification International Philippines, Inc. (CIP), an affiliate of the British company Certification International U.K. Ltd., which has been in the Philippines since 1995. It has certified more than 900 Philippine and multinational companies that are leaders in their respective industry or service sector. Likewise, CIP is the certifying body of majority of government offices and institutions.

*  *  *