HEALTH

HEALTH
SOCIALWELFARE
SOCIAL
SOCIAL WELFAREPROGRAM,
WELFARE PROGRAM,
PROGRAM,
PROJECTDEVELOPMENT
PROJECT
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT&
DEVELOPMENT &&
MANAGEMENT
MANAGEMENT
MANAGEMENT

MALLILLIN, KRIS ADRIAN R.

Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social
well-being and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity. (WHO, 1948).
This means that health is a resource to support an
individual’s function in wider society, rather than an end
in itself. A healthful lifestyle provides the means to lead a
full life with meaning and purpose.

There are types of health

Mental and physical healths are probably the two most
frequently discussed types of health.

Spiritual and emotional health also contributes to

overall health. Medical experts have linked these to
lower stress levels and improved mental and physical
well-being.
Physical well-being involves pursuing a healthful lifestyle
to decrease the risk of disease. Maintaining physical
fitness, for example, can protect and develop the
endurance of a person’s breathing and heart function,
muscular strength, flexibility, and body composition.

Mental health refers to a person’s emotional, social, and

psychological well-being. Mental health is as important
as physical health as part of a full, active lifestyle.
It is harder to define mental health than physical health
because many psychological diagnoses depend on an
individual’s perception of their experience.
HEALTH SERVICE
DELIVERY OF THE
PHILIPPINES

Health is a basic human right guaranteed by the Philippine Constitution of 1987. This is
provided in the Philippines through a dual health delivery system composed of the public
sector and the private sector. The public sector is largely financed through a tax-based
budgeting system, where health services are delivered by government facilities under the
national and local governments. The Department of Health (DOH) supervises the
government corporate hospitals, specialty and regional hospitals. At the local level, the
provincial governments manage and operate district and provincial hospitals, while
municipal governments provide primary care, including preventive and promotive health
services and other public health programmes through the rural health units, health centers
and barangay health stations.
Highly urbanized and independent cities provide both hospital services and primary
care services. The private sector, consisting of for-profit and non-profit health-care
providers, is largely market oriented, where health care is generally paid for through
user fees at the point of service. The introduction of social health insurance
administered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) since 1995
aimed to provide financial risk protection for the Filipino people. The rapid expansion
of its membership in the past 5 years is considered a positive development as the
Government pursues universal health coverage.
 HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
OF THE PHILIPPINES
In general, the healthcare system in the Philippines is of a high quality. Medical staff
in the Philippines is highly qualified, though the facilities they work with are of a
poorer quality. Although the Philippines’ state-funded public healthcare is overall of
a good standard, it differs greatly across rural and urban locations. In the Philippines,
private healthcare is more consistent; private facilities generally have better
equipment than public ones.
The Philippines’ public healthcare system is outstanding in metropolitan areas yet
inadequate in rural areas.
An enormous number of Filipinos rely on public healthcare. Yet, there is a trend for
Filipino medical staff to immigrate to Western countries, which puts the system
under strain.

Despite the healthcare issues in the Philippines, the system is steadily improving.
This is due to government measures that are bringing the country closer to a
universal system. As a result, PhilHealth provides free medical treatment to all
Filipino citizens. With the passage of the Universal Healthcare Act in early 2019,
PhilHealth expanded its coverage to include consultations and lab tests. In addition,
all Filipino citizens will automatically be registered in the national programme.
HEALTH GOVERNANCE AND
REGULATION
The DOH provides national policy direction and strategic plans, regulatory services,
standards and guidelines for health, and highly specialized and specific tertiary-level
hospital services. It provides leadership, technical assistance, capacitybuilding,
linkages and coordination with other national government agencies, LGUs and private
entities in implementing health policies. The LGUs, i.e. provincial, city and municipal
governments, on the other hand, are responsible for managing and implementing
local health programmes and services. A local health board chaired by the local chief
executive (governor or mayor) serves as an advisory body to the local chief
executives and the local legislative council members (sanggunian) on the local health
system, while the DOH Regional Health Office is represented by either a DOH
representative or Development Management Officer under the DOH Provincial
Health Team.
The most recent one is Kalusugan Pangkalahatan (KP), the country’s Universal Health
Care (UHC) policy initiated in 2010. Through KP, the Government continued the
health reform efforts through three key strategies: achieving universal and
sustainable PhilHealth membership, upgrading and modernizing government health
facilities through the Health Facilities Enhancement Program and fortifying efforts to
achieve the Millinnium Development Goal (MDG) targets.

The DOH has also undertaken strategies to continue its support to LGUs through
subsidizing PhilHealth premiums for poor families, constructing and upgrading new
health facilities, deploying doctors, nurses and midwives to poor and underserved
communities, and procuring and distributing commodities including vaccines, TB
medicines, insecticide-impregnated bednets and other medicines.
HEALTH SYSTEM
PERFORAMNCE
The national objectives for health (NOH) have well-specified targets, but progress of
local governments towards these targets remains highly uneven due to devolved
health financing and service delivery. While PhilHealth membership coverage has
expanded, its benefit coverage remains mainly for inpatient care and it provides
only limited financial support. Access remains highly inequitable due to the
maldistribution of facilities, health staff and specialists. While deployment
programmes are easing these problems somewhat, these strategies result in
monitoring and sustainability problems. The limited number of health facilities
relative to the growing population, overprovision of physicians, under provision of
care and poor physician adherence to clinical practice guidelines contribute to a low
quality of care.
HEALTH SYSTEM
REFORMS
 The Government’s aspirations to improve health outcomes,
provide protection from the impoverishing effects of
increasing cost of care and ensure responsiveness of the
health system to the population’s health needs were
embodied in several iterations of its health reform policies.
The DOH was successful in generating political and financial
support to pursue KP and in legislating various policy
proposals, most notably the Sin Tax Law and the
Reproductive Health Law.
However, strong political support and wider fiscal space do
not automatically impact on health system performance, as
there is lack of institutional capacity to translate policy into
effective programme implementation, monitoring and
evaluation. For instance, while PhilHealth’s membership
coverage has expanded and its payment mechanism has
improved, PhilHealth’s strategic purchasing has yet to
assure its members of affordable, comprehensive and
quality health care.
Governance reforms compelled by key legislations have visibly improved specific
facilities and programmes. These legislations include the Sin Tax Law and the National
Health Insurance Act of 2013 that raised and allocated more resources for health, the
Reproductive Health Law of 2012 that guarantees universal and free access to the
most modern contraceptives for all Filipinos, and the Philippine Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Act of 2012 that ensures engagement of all stakeholders
in pursuing a holistic, comprehensive and integrated approach to reducing the
socioeconomic and environmental impacts of disasters. At the LGU and health facility
level, progressive local government leaders and hospital managers direct governance
reforms to expand services and improve the sustainability of operating Government
health facilities, regardless of the public hospital’s governance structure, i.e.
autonomous or otherwise.
REMAINING CHALLENGES IN
HEALTH SYSTEM OF
PHILIPPINES
Health outcomes are generally improving, but the stagnant
maternal mortality ratio and neonatal mortality rate, and the
sluggish rate of improvement in health outcomes compared
to neighbouring countries, are worrisome. Many Filipinos
suffer from diseases that are preventable and treatable with
cost-effective interventions. These include HIV, TB, dengue
and VPDs such as measles and diphtheria.

Addressing health system inefficiencies and health inequities due to disorganized

governance, fragmented health financing, and devolved and pluralistic service
delivery remain critical challenges to the Philippine health system. For instance,
PhilHealth, DOH and LGU health facilities are spending on the same maternal and
child health services, including the emergency care these conditions often
require, are inadequately funded and poorly prioritized. Parallel funding by three
sources (DOH, PhilHealth and LGU) and lack of demarcation and harmonization in
premium-funded benefits versus taxfunded services are the primary reasons for
confusion and inefficiencies in Philippine health-care financing.
Engaging the public in improving transparency and
accountability in the budgeting, planning, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation of Government programmes
remains more a rhetoric than a reality.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
GOALS: GOAL 3- GOOD
HEALTH & WELL-BEING
 ENSURE HEALTHY LIVES AND PROMOTE
WELL-BEING FOR ALL AT ALL AGES
Over the last 15 years, the number of childhood deaths has
been cut in half. This proves that it is possible to win the fight
against almost every disease. Still, we are spending an
astonishing amount of money and resources on treating
illnesses that are surprisingly easy to prevent. The new goal for
worldwide Good Health promotes healthy lifestyles, preventive
measures and modern, efficient healthcare for everyone.
 GOAL 3 IN ACTION
List of Key Government
Programs, Activities, or
Projects (PAPs) Contributing to
Goal 3
PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS
The Department of Health (DOH) is currently implementing various public health
programs that would provide interventions on addressing the triple burden of
diseases in the country – morbidity caused by infectious diseases; mortality by non-
communicable diseases (NCDs); and emerging incidence of injuries, mental health,
and alcohol and drug abuse. These programs are: a) National Immunization Program, b)
Women, Men, and Children’s Health Development Programs, c) HIV/AIDS and STI
Prevention, Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease, Integrated Helminth
Control, Food and Waterborne Diseases Prevention and Control, and National Dengue
Prevention and Control Programs, d) Tuberculosis Control Program, e) Malaria Control,
Schistosomiasis Control, Leprosy Control, and Filariasis Elimination Programs, f) Rabies
Control Program, g) Lifestyle Related Diseases Prevention and Control, and Essential
NCDs Programs.
HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH (HRH)
DEPLOYMENT PROGRAM
In order to improve access to quality basic health services, there should be adequate
healthcare professionals and workers across country who will provide these services.
One of strategies that may contribute in addressing this issue is the deployment of the
health workers through the DOH Human Resource for Health (HRH) Deployment
Program. The program hires cadres of health professionals that will support and
complement HRH at the local level particularly in rural, unserved and underserved
communities. Majority of the health workers are deployed to LGUs that are not able to
hire or retain health workers and often these are low-resource municipalities in
geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. The HRH deployed includes doctors,
nurses, midwives, medical technologists, dentists, public health associates, among
others.
HEALTH FACILITIES ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM
(HFEP)
The Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) of the Department of Health (DOH)
aims to improve public health facilities by constructing new and upgrading and
rehabilitating existing public health facilities across the country such as barangay health
stations, rural health units/urban health centers and Local Government Unit hospitals. The
program assists in enabling government health facilities in providing affordable quality care
and specialized treatments. By strengthening the health system through HFEP, it can
contribute on ensuring delivery of health services towards achieving health-related SDG
targets.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH LIST
OF HEALTH PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES
 DOH has programs for mental health, nutrition, the
addressing of specific diseases, immunization or
vaccination, baby care, and a lot more.
Adolescent Health and Development Program
Aedes-Borne Viral Diseases Prevention and Control Program
Belly Gud for Health
Blood Donation Program
Cancer Control Program
Chronic-Kidney Disease Prevention and Control
Climate Change
Dengue Prevention and Control Program
Dental Health Program
Early Childhood Care Development Program
Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases Program
Environmental Health Program
Expanded Program on Immunization
Filariasis Elimination Program
Food and Waterborne Diseases Prevention and Control Program
Healthy and Productive Ageing Program
Infant and Young Child Feeding Program
Integrated Management of Childhood Illness Program
Leprosy Control Program
Malaria Control and Elimination Program
Mental Health Program
Micronutrient Supplementation Program
National Family Planning Program
National Leprosy Control Program
National Safe Motherhood Program
Newborn Hearing Screening Program
Newborn Screening Program
Occupational Health Program
Oral Health Program
 Persons with Disabilities
Philippine Cancer Control Program
Philippine Medical Travel and Wellness Tourism Program
Philippine Organ Donation and Transplant Program
Prevention of Blindness Program
Rabies Prevention and Control Program
Safe Motherhood Program
Unang Yakap (Essential Newborn Care: Protocol for New Life)
Water Safety Program

In addition to, Department of Health is the one lead agency in the implementation of
Magna Carta of Women 9710 through the Health Policy Development and Planning
Bureau aims to provide relevant basic information on Gender and Development to
guide planners and staff on integrating GAD in policies, programs, and projects.
 MISSION AND VISION

VISION
Filipinos are among the healthiest people in Southeast Asia by 2022, and Asia by
2040

MISSION
To lead the country in the development of a productive, resilient, equitable and
people-centered health system for Universal Health Care