“No Time to Wait”: Health Leaders Push to Accelerate Digital Health in the Philippines

Health leaders convened on March 25, 2026, for a brownbag session hosted by the Zuellig Family Foundation under its Bayang Malusog Community of Practice. The session explored collaborative strategies for advancing digital health adoption in support of Universal Health Care (UHC) implementation.

Dr. Ayedee Ace Domingo, co-author of the paper “Digital Health Ecosystem of the Philippines: Current State, Challenges, and Opportunities” developed for ZFF in 2025, presented key insights. The paper maps the country’s digital health landscape and reveals that while the Philippines has a wide range of digital health systems, it still lags behind the ASEAN average in health information technology (IT) readiness. It also identifies three major barriers: incomplete digital health governance, the absence of digital health legislation, and limited financial incentives for digital health.

The session emphasized that local health systems cannot afford to delay digital transformation, especially as health financing, service delivery, and data-driven decision-making grow increasingly interconnected. However, many local implementers remain uncertain about how to anchor their digital health efforts amid evolving national directives. Dr. Domingo stressed that waiting for perfect guidance is not an option. “Our patients and we do not have the luxury to wait,” he said, underscoring the need for local systems to move forward while remaining compliant with national standards.

Attendees enriched the discussion by sharing on-the-ground realities of implementing health information systems. Key issues raised included a lack of clear implementation guidance, challenges in aligning with PhilHealth and Department of Health (DOH) requirements, unstable internet and electricity, and the need for permanent IT positions in local health offices.

One participant noted, “It’s critical to look into the local health information exchange,” reflecting a growing push among local health leaders to connect systems across facilities and achieve interoperability. The session also surfaced a shared view that digital health systems should enhance facility operations and reduce administrative burdens.

Participants also called for building digital health capacity earlier by integrating health information systems and digital health concepts into the curriculum of health-related courses.

The brownbag session brought together representatives from Aklan, Apayao, Baguio, Benguet, Batangas, Dagupan, Eastern Samar, Nueva Vizcaya, Quezon, Northern Samar, La Union, Pangasinan, Isabela, Biliran, and Ifugao, as well as representatives from DOH Centers for Health Development (CHD) Regions 1, 4A, 8, and CAR.

The Bayang Malusog Community of Practice is an initiative led by the Zuellig Family Foundation’s Local Health Systems unit. It provides a platform for collaboration and learning among health leaders as they implement UHC in their respective provinces.