Dr. Jose “Brix” Pujalte Jr.

Dr. Jose Brittanio "Brix" S. Pujalte Jr. is a Filipino orthopedic surgeon who was the secretary of the Department of Health of the Philippines. Pujalte is a veteran orthopedic surgeon with over 35 years of experience, bringing extensive experience and exceptional leadership as a physician, hospital administrator, educator, and public servant with over three decades of service in advancing public health.

Pujalte earned his medical degree from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine and later obtained a Master's Degree in Hospital Administration from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business. He finished his orthopedic residency at the Philippine Orthopedic Center in Quezon City in 1994 and since 2008, has been a Career Executive Service Eligible (CESE). An alumnus of the UP Diliman College of Arts and Letters and the UP Manila College of Medicine, where he then became a faculty member, Pujalte devoted his expertise to orthopedic care and hospital operations.

Career History

• Medical Center Chief of the Philippine Orthopedic Center (2014–2026)
• Chief of Clinics at the Philippine Orthopedic Center (prior to 2014)
• Orthopedic Surgeon and Faculty Member at University of the Philippines Manila, Far Eastern University–Dr. Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation, and San Beda College of Medicine (institutional teaching positions spanning decades)
• Secretary of the Department of Health (July 14 – August 10, 2026)

He served as president of the Philippine Orthopedic Center and the ASEAN Orthopaedic Association, and is founding member of the Philippine Spine Society and the Philippine Shoulder Society. Pujalte is a Fellow of the Philippine Orthopedic Association, Philippine College of Surgeons, and the American College of Surgeons. Pujalte resigned from post on Monday, August 10, 2026, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. accepting his resignation citing health reasons.

What Pujalte could have brought to the DOH Secretary role: His extensive background in hospital administration, orthopedic surgical expertise, and demonstrated leadership of a major government specialty hospital suggested capability to strengthen healthcare system operations and patient service delivery. However, his brief tenure was marked by controversies including an order to halt procurement of P3 billion worth of tuberculosis medicines, which critics claimed aimed to delay the bidding process.