Dolor Ronalyn T.

BSA 1C
Health (Economic Development)
Introduction
Health is a state of a complete physical mentally and social well-being merely in
absence or infirmity. A resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a
positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical
capacities. This means that health is a source to support an individual’s function in
wider society,. A healthful lifestyle provides the means to lead a full life.
The topic of health is being increasingly more important over the past few
decades in the Philippines. The country has implemented several rounds of perform to
strengthen its health system. Philippines adopted decentralized health governance in
199, introduced a social health insurance programme- PhilHealth- in 1995, and actively
pursued universal health coverage since 2010. As a consequence of its focus on health
sector and general socioeconomic development, Philippines has achieved significant
improvements life expectancy and immunization coverage, as well a twofold reduction
in infant ad under -5 mortality. Although much has been achieved to date, there still
many concern in health sector that need to be tackled. These include the reduction in
the prevalence of tuberculosis and childhood pneumonia, as well as managing the rising
tide of noncommunicable diseases further strengthening the preparation and response
to natural and human disasters. There have been widespread efforts to improve health
service delivery in the country, but the regional and socioeconomic disparities the
availability and accessibility of resources are prominent. There is a maldistribution of
infrastructure and human resources across and within the regions, which are
concentrated in Metro Manila and other major cities. Philippines is a major exporter of
health-care professionals but finds it challenging to ensure adequate availability within
the country. Utilization of the health budget has improved over the years, but
governance and implementation challenges persist due to fragmented nature of system.
Country has a mixed health system with an expanding private sector. There is no
effective mechanism to regulate private for-profit health-care providers. More than 50%
of the total health spending is out of pocket. Coverage by the Philippines Health
Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has increased over the years but not all the eligible
members are aware of the benefits of the programme. There is no effective mechanism

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Dolor Ronalyn T.
BSA 1C
Health (Economic Development)
in place to monitor the accreditation of facilities, and regulate the cost and quality of the
services
Overall, the healthcare system in the Philippines is of a high standard. Filipino medical
staffs are expertly trained, but the facilities may not be as impressive as those found in
high-end US or European hospital. The quality of the Philippines’ state-subsidised
public healthcare, although good, varies widely between rural and urban areas. Private
healthcare in the Philippines provides much more consistent care and facilities tend to
be better equipped than public ones. English is also spoken throughout the Philippines,
meaning that there should be few language barriers preventing expats from accessing
healthcare. Healthcare in the Philippines is variable, ranging in quality from excellent to
dire. Hospitals in the major cities are generally of a high standard, while many in rural
areas lack infrastructure and investment. Healthcare is provided through both private
and public hospitals in the Philippines. Although healthcare is generally expensive for
the average Filipino, expats may find it more affordable than in their home country. 
Local medical staffs are well trained, especially in big cities. Many have studied and
practised medicine overseas, and speak English. The Philippines is one of the biggest
exporters of medical staff in the world, with many nurses and doctors leaving the
country to work abroad. While the remittances sent home from these workers are an
important contributor to the Philippines economy, healthcare provision in the Philippines
has been undermined by the departure of so many medical professionals. All citizens
are entitled to free healthcare under the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation
(PhilHealth). The scheme is government-controlled and funded by local and national
government subsidies, as well as by contributions from employers and employees. An
ageing population, urbanisation, and the rising middle class have led to an increasing
demand for healthcare services, as more people can afford quality healthcare. Due to
the huge gap in the Philippines' healthcare delivery system, abundant opportunities are
available for key private participants to invest in the healthcare sector. Private hospitals,
pharmaceutical producers, and healthcare IT companies are expanding into the
Philippines market, partially owing to the recently launched AEC.
Lack of infrastructure and human resources is putting a strain on the healthcare delivery
system in the Philippines. The bed-to-population ratio is quite low and there is still a

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Dolor Ronalyn T.
BSA 1C
Health (Economic Development)
huge gap in the number of doctors and nurses required to cater to the needs of the
growing population The healthcare delivery system in the Philippines is dominated by
the public sector (regional, provincial, municipal, and barangay level) while being
supported by private healthcare service providers. The implementation of Universal
Health Care (UHC) is already driving the demand across all sectors of healthcare.
However, the Philippines still requires a strong focus on infrastructure and skilled
manpower. The shortage of qualified personnel is a huge problem, especially in high-
skill fields such as radiology. The private sector is playing a huge role in helping the
government address the gaps in healthcare services. Generics are evolving into a huge
market due to the demand for low-cost medicine and strong government support.
Production of raw materials for medicines is now 100% open to foreign ownership,
creating an opportunity for the Philippines to emerge as a regional raw materials
manufacturing hub. Areas such as healthcare technology and diagnostics, that can
improve access to health information for making better healthcare choices, are growing
faster.The Philippines has made significant investments and advances in health in
recent years. Rapid economic growth and strong country capacity have contributed to
Filipinos living longer and healthier. However, not all the benefits of this growth have
reached the most vulnerable groups, and the health system remains fragmented. Health
insurance now covers 92% of the population. Maternal and child health services have
improved, with more children living beyond infancy, a higher number of women
delivering at health facilities and more births being attended by professional service
providers than ever before. Access to and provision of preventive, diagnostic and
treatment services for communicable diseases have improved, while there are several
initiatives to reduce illness and death due to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
Despite substantial progress in improving the lives and health of people in the
Philippines, achievements have not been uniform and challenges remain. Deep
inequities persist between regions, rich and the poor, and different population groups.
Many Filipinos continue to die or suffer from illnesses that have well-proven, cost-
effective interventions, such tuberculosis, HIV and dengue, or diseases affecting
mothers and children. Many people lack sufficient knowledge to make informed
decisions about their own health. Rapid economic development, urbanization,

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Dolor Ronalyn T.
BSA 1C
Health (Economic Development)
escalating climate change, and widening exposure to diseases and pathogens in an
increasingly global world increase the risks associated with disasters, environmental
threats, and emerging and re-emerging infections. HEALTH POLICIES AND
Findings

 Advance quality, health promotion and primary care Cover all Filipinos against
health-related financial risk Harness the power of strategic HRH development
Invest in health and data for decision-making Enforce standards, accountability
and transparency Value all clients and patients, especially the poor,
marginalized, and vulnerable Elicit multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder support
for health
 Conduct annual health visits for all poor families and special populations (NHTS,
IP, PWD, Senior Citizens)
 explicit list of primary care entitlements that will become the basis for licensing
and contracting arrangements
 Transform select DOH hospitals into mega-hospitals with capabilities for multi-
specialty training and teaching and reference laboratory
 Support LGUs in advancing pro-health resolutions or ordinances (e.g. city-wide
smoke-free or speed limit ordinances)
 Establish expert bodies for health promotion and surveillance and response
Conclusion:
If a community's resources are to be mobilized for a continuing effort to improve
its own health, potential participants must know what values they have in common and
develop a clear and shared vision of what can be achieved. Based on its review of the
determinants of health, of the forces in the community that can influence them, and of
community experience with performance monitoring, the committee finds that
a community health improvement process that includes performance monitoring, as
outlined in this report, can be an effective tool for developing a shared vision and
supporting a planned and integrated approach to improve community health. The
committee's recommendations for operationalizing a CHIP are based on a variety of
theoretical and practical models for community health improvement, continuous quality

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Dolor Ronalyn T.
BSA 1C
Health (Economic Development)
improvement, quality assurance, and performance monitoring in health care, public
health, and other settings. However, the specifies of the committee's proposal have
never been tested, into community settings. Thus, the final section in this chapter
identifies a number of ways in which the process that the committee proposes can be
evaluated and developed.

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Dolor Ronalyn T.
BSA 1C
Health (Economic Development)

References
Mauskopf J., Rutten F, Schonfeld W. (2003) Cost-Effectiveness League Tables: Valuable
Guidance for Decision Makers? PharmacoEconomics, 21:991-1000

Barquin, F. 2004. Towards a unified health research and knowledge management

system. In Proceedings of the 1st Philippine National Health Research System
Assembly. Bicutan: PCHRD: 40-68