Short answer. The Dangerous Drugs Board has seventeen members: three permanent members appointed by the President, twelve ex officio department heads and agency chiefs, and two regular members drawn from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and an anti-drug non-government organization. The three permanent members must already have at least seven years of relevant professional experience.
What the law says
who shall possess at least seven-year training and experience in the field of dangerous drugs and in any of the following fields: in law, medicine, criminology, psychology or social work, shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines.
RA 9165, Section 78 — Composition Of The Board. Read the full provision →
What the law says
The Director of the NBI and the Chief of the PNP shall be the permanent consultants of the Board, and shall attend all the meetings of the Board.
RA 9165, Section 78 — Composition Of The Board. Read the full provision →
Who the permanent members are
Three of the seventeen seats are permanent. The President appoints these three, each of whom must already have at least seven years of experience in dangerous drugs work combined with a background in law, medicine, criminology, psychology, or social work. The President then designates one of the three as Chairman, ranked as a department secretary, to serve a six-year term, while the other two, ranked as undersecretaries, serve four years and two years respectively before later appointees move onto full six-year terms. The staggered terms mean the Board's permanent leadership does not turn over all at once, giving it institutional continuity even as individual appointees change.
The ex officio and regular seats
Twelve seats belong automatically to named government officials, including the secretaries of Justice, Health, National Defense, Finance, Labor, Interior and Local Government, Social Welfare, Foreign Affairs, and Education, plus the Commission on Higher Education chairman, the National Youth Commission chairman, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director general. A cabinet secretary may send an authorized representative ranked no lower than undersecretary. Two further seats go to the president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and the head of an anti-drug non-government organization chosen by the President. This list matters when identifying which cabinet secretary's office to contact on a Board-related concern.
Consultants and meeting allowances
The Director of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Chief of the Philippine National Police sit as permanent consultants and must attend every Board meeting, though they are not voting members. Members, consultants, and any representative who attends in an official's place receive a per diem for each meeting actually attended, subject to the usual budgetary rules on compensation and allowances.
Why the composition matters
This structure matters mainly to people or businesses interacting with national drug policy, licensing, or enforcement coordination, since it shows which offices actually vote on Board decisions and which agencies can be approached for information or representation. Knowing that the NBI and PNP heads sit as consultants rather than voting members clarifies that formal Board authority rests with its appointed and ex officio members, while law enforcement agencies contribute operational expertise without a vote. Framing decisions on drug policy, seeking accreditation, or preparing a complaint therefore benefits from knowing exactly which of the seventeen offices holds a vote.
Related provisions
- RA 9165, Section 78 — Composition Of The Board
- RA 9165, Section 77 — The Dangerous Drugs Board
- RA 9165, Section 79 — Meetings And Quorum