Former health secretary Dr. Alran Bengzon dies at 90

2026-03-03 - 07:04

MANILA, Philippines – The Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) community has lost another luminary with the death of alumnus Dr. Alfredo Rafael Antonio “Alran” Bengzon, health secretary during the Cory Aquino administration. Health Secretary Ted Herbosa announced Bengzon’s death on Tuesday, March 3. Bengzon was 90. “Rest in Peace Former Sec[retary] of Health,” Herbosa said in his Facebook account. Bengzon’s death comes days after the passing of another AdMU luminary, Jose Maria “Joey” Hofileña, dean of the Ateneo Law School (ALS). ‘Bold public health leader’ Bengzon is best known for pushing the Philippines’ first generic drugs law, which gave Filipinos alternatives to more expensive branded medicines. That legacy continues to be felt by Filipino consumers today. Herbosa said in his post that aside from making medicines more affordable, it also “increased the market share of generics to 64%.” That advocacy was one of the reasons why Bengzon was named by the Ramon Magsaysay Foundation, Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize, as its 1991 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service, describing him as a “bold public health leader, who introduced innovations and programs that addressed the challenges in health and security of all Filipinos.” “The counterattack by pharmaceutical companies and their allies in the medical profession was angry and often personal. Bengzon stood his ground, following his own advice that, in government service, ‘one must always be willing to pay the price’,” the Ramon Magsaysay Foundation said in its citation. The foundation also recognized Bengzon’s work in “weeding out” corruption in the health department by “ending institutionalized overpricing of medical supplies” sold to the agency by “favored providers.” Bengzon had other notable contributions during the Cory Aquino administration. He was also peace commissioner who negotiated with rebel groups, and was vice chair of the Philippine negotiating panel for the US military bases. The Senate, however, voted against the panel’s recommendation to have a new military bases treaty, leading to the US withdrawal from its Philippine bases in 1992. Bengzon also pushed for family planning during his tenure as health secretary, but this effort was stymied by lack of resources and opposition from the influential Catholic Church. Life after government After serving in the first Aquino administration, Bengzon would return a year later to his alma mater as dean of the Ateneo Graduate School of Business in 1993, and later as vice president for the Professional Schools of Ateneo de Manila. Bengzon, however, earned his medical degree from the University of the Philippines. “Dr. Bengzon holds a special place in the Ateneo community. A graduate of Ateneo de Manila University who took special pride in having spent time as a student in every campus in the history of Ateneo, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1956 and later completed his MBA at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business in 1972,” the AdMU said in a news release-tribute on August 6, 2025. His most important legacy in his alma mater, however, was the establishment of the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health (ASMPH). The AdMU said that in 1997, Bengzon was able to persuade its Board of Trustees to put up a medical school, which was launched in 2007. He became its first dean, serving from 2007 to 2012. “His vision of forming doctor leaders of the future — outstanding clinicians who are also public health and management professionals — continues to animate the ASMPH community to this day,” the AdMU said in its news release last year. Bengzon also served as president and CEO of the upscale The Medical City hospital, now located in Pasig City, and which has expanded rapidly via its satellite clinics in major malls throughout the country. During his tenure as The Medical City chief, he pushed for the “patient as partner” philosophy. “We have to change our mindset and heart-set that the doctors always know best. We, the doctors, are experts of our profession, but the patients are the masters of their body and life. Therefore, the patient and the doctor must be co-responsible in managing the patient’s health,” Bengzon was quoted as saying in a Philippine Star article posted on the The Medical City website. “Doctor-patient relationship must be dynamic... with the doctor regarding the patient as a conscious, self-organizing human being with an active role in maintaining his health or remedying his illness. Both the doctor and patient must be able to communicate to each other and help each other interpret and make sense out of the patient’s maladies,” he said. “The patient has the right and obligation to question and demand.” On August 4, 2025, six months before he died, Bengzon was honored as the 52nd recipient of the ceremonial folded flag at the National Stop and Salute Flag Raising Ceremony at Rizal Park, Manila. The event, organized by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the Salute to a Clean Flag Movement, cited Bengzon for being a “modern-day hero whose life’s work continues to inspire institutions and individuals alike.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by ASMPH (@theasmph) “Being the 52nd recipient of the folded flag is a rare and significant honor, symbolizing not just a lifetime of leadership but the kind of servant-leadership that continues to inspire future generations. “For ASMPH, this tribute is especially meaningful, as Dr. Bengzon’s foundational work continues to shape the formation of doctors who serve not just in clinics, but also in corporations, government, non-government organizations, and communities. His example remains deeply embedded in the values and vision of the school he built — and in the lives of the many he inspired,” the AdMU release said. – Rappler.com