Dr. Anthony F. Cortez first made his mark on February 1, 1999 by becoming a Municipal Health Officer (MHO) of Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya.
He served his municipality for 24 years. He attended to the administration of their Rural Health Unit (RHU), formulated the Annual Health Plan. He also developed and trained the capabilities of his staff. In addition, he implemented public health programs in accordance with the DOH and Provincial Health Office guidelines. As the MHO, he supervised all aspects of the health work; provided epidemiological and environmental health services in the community; studied, analyzed, and interpreted weekly notifiable disease reports; conducted investigations in times of epidemics or disease outbreaks and instituted control measures.
He supervised over the hygienic and sanitary conditions of the municipality, public and private premises. He also served as the clinician of the RHU. He was loved by the constituents as he held regular consultations and conducted physical examination. Moreover, he acted as the medico legal officer of Bambang. To add, he also conducted Information Education Campaign on matters of health to the public.
As the MHO, he held co-chairmanships in various Health Groups. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was recommended and participated as part of a consensus panel and contributor in the development of the “Philippine COVID-19 Living Recommendations” Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) which served as guide in the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 and policy-making interventions. He passionately implemented the vaccination program, employing various strategies that made Bambang as the highest vaccinator in the entire province, and Top 10 in the entire region.
Dr. Cortez was also the Municipal Nutrition Action Officer (MNAO)-Designate. As such, he acted as the Vice Chairman of the Municipal Nutrition Committee, and spearheaded the implementation of the Municipal Nutrition Program.
In addition to his functions as MHO and MNAO-Designate, he was also the Municipal Population Officer-Designate. He implemented programs of responsible parenthood and reproductive health, population and development programs. He also supervised and lectured on responsible parenthood and family planning; and acted as Pre-marriage Counselor.
Dr. Cortez served as the President of the Association of Municipal Health Officers of the Philippines (AMHOP) – Nueva Vizcaya Chapter from 2007-2023, and AMHOP National Level BOD member.
On February 2, 2023, he was appointed to head the Provincial Integrated Health Office (PIHO), reported for work on February 15, 2023, and eventually took his oath of office before Governor Carlos M. Padilla on February 27, 2023.
His appointment as Provincial Health Officer II was concurred by the 11th Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Nueva Vizcaya, through Resolution No. 2023-4513 passed during its 32nd Regular Session on March 13, 2023.
During the Taripnong program of the Public Affairs and Information Assistance Division on March 9, 2023 where he was one of the resource speakers, Dr. Cortez vowed to commit his support not only to the programs, projects, and activities of the Provincial Government of Nueva Vizcaya (PGNV), but also to PIHO’s counterparts in the National Government., and component LGUs.
Dr. Cortez, a father of two, is married to Ma. Lucia Alarcon Garcia. He finished his Pre-Medicine course at the University of the Philippines-Baguio and Doctor of Medicine at the De La Salle University-College of Medicine. He became a full-fledged physician in August 1991. His family resides in Brgy. Banggot, Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya. #mvs
