View source for Juan Flavier

{{short description|Filipino physician and politician (1935-2014)}}
{{Philippine name|Martin|Flavier}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Juan Flavier
| image               = Senator Juan Flavier Official Portrait.gif
|image_size           = 200px
| caption             = Official portrait as a senator
| order1              = 21st
| office1             = President pro tempore of the Senate of the Philippines
| term_start1         = August 12, 2002
| term_end1           = June 30, 2007
| predecessor1        = [[Manuel Villar]]
| successor1          = [[Jinggoy Estrada]]
| office2             = [[Senate of the Philippines|Senator of the Philippines]]
| term_start2         = June 30, 1995
| term_end2           = June 30, 2007
| order3              = 
| office3             = 20th [[Department of Health (Philippines)|Secretary of Health]]
| term_start3         = July 1, 1992
| term_end3           = January 30, 1995
| president3          = [[Fidel V. Ramos]]
| predecessor3        = Antonio Periquet
| successor3          = Jaime Galvez-Tan
| office4             = Chairman of the [[Dangerous Drugs Board]]
| president4          = Fidel V. Ramos
| term_start4         = 1992
| term_end4           = 1995
| predecessor4        = Antonio Periquet
| successor4          = Jaime Galvez-Tan
| birth_name          = Juan Martin Flavier
| birth_date          = {{Birth date|1935|06|23}}
| birth_place         = [[Tondo, Manila|Tondo]], [[Manila]], [[Insular Government of the Philippine Islands|Philippine Islands]]
| death_date          = {{death date and age|2014|10|30|1935|06|23}}
| death_place         = [[Quezon City]], Philippines
| nationality         = [[Philippines|Filipino]]
| party               = [[Lakas–CMD|Lakas]]
| spouse              = Alma Susana Aguila Flavier
| relations           = 
| children            = 4<!--Typically the number of children (e.g., 3); only list names of independently notable or particularly relevant children [[Template:Infobox person]]-->
| residence           = 
| occupation          = 
| profession          = [[Physician]]
| signature           = 
| website             = 
| footnotes           = 
| alma_mater          = [[University of the Philippines Manila]] ([[Doctor of Medicine|M.D.]])<br>[[Johns Hopkins University]] ([[Professional degrees of public health|M.P.H.]])
}}

'''Juan Martin Flavier''' ({{IPA|tl|hwan mɐɾˈtɪn flaˈvjeɹ}}; June 23, 1935 – October 30, 2014) was a Filipino physician and politician. He served as the [[Secretary of Health (Philippines)|Secretary of Health]] under President [[Fidel V. Ramos]] from 1992 to 1995, and was later elected to the [[Senate of the Philippines|Senate]], serving from 1995 to 2007.

==Early life==
Flavier was born in [[Tondo, Manila]].<ref name=Miriam /> He was born in a very poor family to semi-literate parents.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=http://www.aegis.com/news/re/1995/RE950103.html|title=Philippines: Manila Health Minister an Unlikely Agent of Satan|last=McIntosh|first=Alistair|date=January 4, 1995|newspaper=Reuters NewMedia|access-date=November 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630160403/http://www.aegis.com/news/re/1995/RE950103.html|archive-date=June 30, 2007}}</ref>  He eventually moved to [[Baguio]] where he finished his secondary studies at the [[Baguio City National High School]]. He is trained as a doctor and received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the [[University of the Philippines College of Medicine|UP College of Medicine]] at the [[University of the Philippines Manila]] in 1960 and Masters in Public Health from the [[Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health|Bloomberg School of Public Health]] at [[Johns Hopkins University]] in 1969.

He was known for his short stature at only 1.50 meters (4&nbsp;ft 11 in).<ref name=:0 />

==Career==
=== "Doctor to the Barrios" ===
Flavier went to serve poor rural [[barangays]] in [[Nueva Ecija]] and [[Cavite province|Cavite]] as a "[[doctor to the barrios]]".<ref name=Miriam>{{cite news|last1=Defensor Santiago|first1=Miriam|title=Juan Flavier: The most honest senator I knew|url=http://www.rappler.com/nation/75231-miriam-santiago-eulogy-juan-flavier|access-date=November 17, 2014|publisher=Rappler|date=November 17, 2014}}</ref> He was a "country doctor" for 30 years.<ref name=:0 /> His work was recognized and he was appointed president of the [[Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement]].<ref name=Miriam /> in 1967. From 1978 to 1992, he was president of the [[International Institute of Rural Reconstruction]].

=== Department of Health ===
In 1992, Philippine President [[Fidel Ramos]] appointed Flavier Secretary of the Department of Health.<ref name=":0" /> During his term, he initiated various health programs such as "Lets DOH it", "Yosi Kadiri",''Oplan Alís Disease'', ''Kontra Kolera,'' ''Stop TB'', ''Araw ng [[Food fortification#Philippines|Sangkáp Pinoy]]'', ''Family Planning'' and ''Doctor to the Barrios Program''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Juan M. Flavier: The Filipino Health Hero |url=https://www.rappler.com/nation/73626-juan-flavier-filipino-health-hero/|website=Rappler|accessdate=10 July 2023}}</ref> During his term [[barangay health worker]]s were organized.<ref name=Doh.gov /> He served as Secretary of the Department of Health until 1995. He was regularly rated one of the most popular government officials and his department one of the most effective.<ref name=:0 />  He was perhaps the most popular Secretary of Health.<ref name=Doh.gov>{{cite web|title=Dr. Juan Flavier|url=http://www.doh.gov.ph/node/1281.html|website=Department of Health website|publisher=Department of Health|access-date=November 17, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129062754/http://www.doh.gov.ph/node/1281.html|archive-date=November 29, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

=== Philippine Senate ===
In 1995, he ran for senator and won under the Ramos administration ticket and was re-elected to a second term in the 2001 elections, placing second among the 12 winning candidates. As senator, he authored and sponsored several landmark bills including the Traditional Medicine Law,<ref name=GMAObit>{{cite news|last=Legaspi|first=Amita|title=Senate pays last respects to Flavier|url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/388397/news/nation/senate-pays-last-respects-to-flavier|access-date=November 17, 2014|publisher=GMA News|date=November 17, 2014}}</ref> the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act,<ref name=GMAObit /> Philippine Clean Air Act,<ref name=GMAObit /> Indigenous People's Rights Act,<ref name=GMAObit /> Anti-money Laundering Act,<ref name=GMAObit /> Barangay Micro-Business Enterprise,<ref name=GMAObit /> National Service Training Program for Tertiary Students,<ref name=GMAObit /> Dangerous Drugs Act,<ref name=GMAObit /> Plant Variety Protection Act,<ref name=GMAObit /> Philippine Nursing Act,<ref name=GMAObit /> the Tobacco Regulation Act,<ref name=GMAObit /> and the law declaring [[Eid'l Fitr]] a national [[public holiday in the Philippines]].<ref name=GMAObit />

When he was senator he had a perfect attendance record during sessions, a fact mentioned in the Senate resolution marking his death, which read in part, "The hard-working legislator registered a perfect attendance during the sessions and was instrumental in the enactment of landmark legislations promoting public health care and improving the quality of life of the people."<ref name=InterAksyon>{{cite news|last1=Reyes|first1=Ernie|title=Senate sets necrological services for Flavier on Monday|url=http://www.interaksyon.com/article/99315/senate-sets-necrological-services-for-flavier-on-monday|access-date=November 17, 2014|agency=InterAksyon.com|date=November 16, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129022104/http://www.interaksyon.com/article/99315/senate-sets-necrological-services-for-flavier-on-monday|archive-date=November 29, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref>  He was also the "poorest" senator, with a net worth on his 2005 [[Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth]] (SALN) of 3.49 million [[Philippine peso]]s.<ref name=GMA2006>{{cite news|title=Villar richest senator with P760M, Flavier 'poorest'|url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/6668/news/nation/villar-richest-senator-with-p760m-flavier-poorest|access-date=November 17, 2014|publisher=GMA News|date=May 22, 2006}}</ref>

Flavier was also formerly a resident presenter on ''[[Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko]]'', a public service programme on [[GMA Network]].

== Popular culture ==
Flavier was portrayed in Magpakailanman by [[Ogie Alcasid]].

==Death==
Flavier died of [[pneumonia]]-related [[sepsis]] and [[organ failure]] at 16:00 [[Philippine Standard Time|PST]] ([[GMT+8]]) on October 30, 2014, at the age of 79.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Dioquino|first1=Rose-An Jessica|title=Former senator Juan Flavier dies|url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/385906/lifestyle/peopleandevents/former-senator-juan-flavier-dies|website=GMA News Online|access-date=October 30, 2014}}</ref> He was admitted to the intensive care unit of the [[National Kidney and Transplant Institute]] in [[Quezon City]] as early as September 11.

==Works==
Flavier wrote a regular newspaper column about his experiences as a doctor in the countryside, even while he served at Health Secretary.<ref name=:0 />

Below is a listing of works authored by Flavier,<ref name=AMC>[https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&field-author=Juan%20M.%20Flavier ''Books › "Juan M. Flavier"''], amazon.com</ref> including ''[[Doctor to the Barrios]]'', wherein he narrates his experience working with and for the [[Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement]].

==Books==
*''[[Doctor to the Barrios]], Experiences with the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement'' (1970)
*''My Friends in the Barrios'' (1974)
*''Back to the Barrios: Balikbaryo'' (1978)
*''Parables of the Barrio: Vol. I'' (1988)
*''Parables of the Barrio: Vol. II, Nos. 51-100'' (1989)
*''Parables of the Barrio: Vol. III, Nos. 101-150'' (1991)
*''Let's DOH It!: How We Did It'' (1998)
*''From Barrio to Senado: an Autobiography'' (2009)

===Papers===
*''Mobilizing Local Leaders for Rural Development: The Case of the People's School (IIRR working paper, 1980)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Philippine Senate Presidents Pro-Tempore}}
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{{10th Congress of the Philippines senators}}
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{{Filipinos and Peace Prize}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Flavier, Juan}}
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:Deaths from pneumonia in the Philippines]]
[[Category:Deaths from sepsis]]
[[Category:Filipino general practitioners]]
[[Category:Filipino medical writers]]
[[Category:Filipino non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Filipino public health doctors]]
[[Category:Filipino United Methodists]]
[[Category:Health and wellness writers]]
[[Category:Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health alumni]]
[[Category:Lakas–CMD (1991) politicians]]
[[Category:Lakas–CMD politicians]]
[[Category:People from Tondo, Manila]]
[[Category:Presidents pro tempore of the Senate of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Ramos administration cabinet members]]
[[Category:Secretaries of health of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Senators of the 10th Congress of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Senators of the 11th Congress of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Senators of the 12th Congress of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Senators of the 13th Congress of the Philippines]]
[[Category:University of the Philippines Manila alumni]]