For years, health workers in Baguio City managed health information across paper-based records, electronic medical records (EMRs), and government platforms that were not fully integrated. While data was routinely collected, its availability in usable and timely forms for patient care, planning, reporting, and decision-making remained a persistent challenge.

Photo above: Elmer Datuin, Chair for the Committee on Health and Sanitation of Baguio City, in his message commits to institutionalize BMRS through a resolution and ensure appropriation.

This experience became an important impetus for the city to develop a health information system (HIS) responsive to its local context and the needs of its health workers.

Today, Baguio City is taking further steps toward a more integrated and interoperable HIS through the continued development of its Baguio Medical Record System (BMRS) and the strengthening of the governance, standards, and processes needed to sustain it.

From Fragmented Systems to a Homegrown Solution

With the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law placing greater emphasis on functional HIS as part of local health system strengthening, Baguio City initially explored available solutions, including the Department of Health (DOH)’s iClinicSys and other third-party EMR platforms.

However, challenges in system usability, access to information, integration, and technical support underscored the need for a solution more responsive to the city’s operational realities.

The city eventually pursued the development of its own system.

Under the leadership of Mayor Benjamin Magalong and Francis Camarao, head of the city’s Management Information and Technology Division, the city developed the Baguio Medical Record System (BMRS), a locally developed platform designed around the needs of Baguio’s health facilities and frontline health workers.

Related article: 

• Baguio Showcases Locally-developed Electronic Medical Record System

The development of BMRS represents an important shift from simply digitizing records toward making health information more accessible and useful for clinical care, reporting, planning, and management.

The system has since supported PhilHealth’s Yakap and eClaims packages and has been validated at Level 2 under PhilHealth’s EMR standards. The city is likewise preparing for DOH EMR certification.

While full interoperability with other HIS remains a continuing objective, Baguio is taking steps to establish the standards, policies, security measures, and governance mechanisms necessary to support this direction.

Creating Space for Strategic Reflection

From September 8 to 10, 2026, the Baguio City Health Services Office (HSO) convened a three-day orientation and strategic planning workshop focused on strengthening the city’s HIS.

Led by Dr. Vanessa Polig-Fagcangan, HSO ICT Coordinator, the workshop brought together key local health leaders and representatives from the city government, health facilities, national health agencies, development partners, and the BMRS development team.

Among the key local participants were Elmer Datuin, Chair for the Committee on Health and Sanitation, and Dr. Maria Lourdes Pakoy, Assistant City Health Officer, together with representatives from the HSO, city health facilities, planning team, and BMRS development team.

Representatives from the PhilHealth Regional Office-CAR, PhilHealth Local Health Insurance Office, and the DOH Center for Health Development (CHD)-CAR also participated in the discussions.

Providing technical expertise from PhilHealth’s Information Technology Management Department (ITMD) were Emma Ilagan and Stephanie Gavino, who shared perspectives on EMR standards, accreditation, and the technical requirements relevant to the city’s HIS. Their participation helped situate Baguio’s local efforts within the broader requirements and direction of the national health insurance program.

Dr. Ayedee Ace Domingo, HIS expert and ZFF consultant, provided technical guidance throughout the workshop, helping participants examine the HIS not only from a technology perspective but also in relation to health system governance, implementation, and sustainability.

The Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) was represented by Dr. Catherine Chung, Local Health Systems Director, together with Joan Kidatan and Ayeza De Mesa, program associates under the Bayang Malusog Leadership and Governance Program (BMLGP). Their participation formed part of ZFF’s continuing technical assistance to Baguio City through its partnership under BMLGP.

The workshop covered the role of HIS in UHC implementation, relevant national and international standards and frameworks, experiences and good practices from other local government units, and PhilHealth’s EMR accreditation process.

Participants subsequently assessed Baguio’s current HIS landscape, developed a shared vision for the city’s HIS, identified and prioritized strategic interventions, and translated these priorities into a roadmap and action plan.

The workshop resulted in two key outputs: an HIS Strategic Plan and a six-month short-term action plan.

Photo above: Stakeholders from the Baguio Local Government Unit (HSO and Management Information and Technology Department) together with DOH-CHD CAR and PhilHealth Regional Office-CAR participate in the workshop.

Strengthening Local Capacity through Partnership

ZFF’s engagement in the activity stemmed from a request from Baguio City through the BMLGP partnership. HIS had been identified as an area where technical coaching and mentoring could contribute to the city’s continuing efforts to strengthen its local health system.

ZFF supported the preparation and design of the workshop and facilitated access to technical expertise from relevant institutions and practitioners, including the PhilHealth ITMD team and Dr. Domingo.

The engagement reflects ZFF’s broader approach to supporting local governments in advancing UHC: strengthening local leadership and governance while helping build the systems and capacities required to translate health policies and investments into improved health outcomes.

HIS is a critical component of this work. Reliable and accessible health information enables health workers and leaders to better understand the needs of their communities, monitor health service delivery, identify gaps, allocate resources, and make evidence-informed decisions.

Photo above: Mayor Benjamin Magalong (third from the left) and Dr. Vanessa Polig-Fagcangan (leftmost), Medical Officer IV, brings the ZFF and PhilHealth teams to Baguio’s SMART City.

Seeing the Impact at the Frontline

The value of BMRS is most evident in the experience of the health workers who use it.

Dr. Nathazha Franco described how the system has changed the way patient information is managed: “Our patient record keeping has drastically changed because of BMRS. The time spent for finding records has been minimized including the time to prepare reports. We can now also see patients’ records digitally and help us decide better for patient care, especially now that we can also see records of the referrals we made.”

For City Camp nurse Mr. Ferrer, the locally developed system has likewise contributed to improvements in frontline work: “Having a homegrown EMR is the best decision our city made, which helped us frontliners in many ways, especially with the continuous improvement in our system.”

These experiences demonstrate that the value of an HIS extends beyond digitizing records. Its effectiveness ultimately depends on whether health workers can use the information to improve service delivery and make better decisions for patients and communities.

From System Development to Institutionalization

Despite the progress made, Baguio recognizes that significant work remains.

The next phase of development requires attention not only to the technology itself but also to the institutional structures that will sustain it. Key priorities include formalizing HIS governance through appropriate policies and an ordinance, establishing a dedicated organizational structure and personnel, ensuring sustainable funding, strengthening capacity-building, and improving compliance with data privacy requirements.

These are essential foundations for achieving the city’s longer-term goal of interoperability.

As the experience of Baguio demonstrates, developing a functional EMR is only one part of the journey. Sustaining and integrating the system requires clear governance, defined responsibilities, adequate resources, capable people, and adherence to standards.

Photo above: Emma Ilagan, Unified PhilHealth Electronic Claims System Chair, provides guidance to Baguio City on software certification and onboarding process.

Building Systems That Work for People

One of the key lessons shared during the workshop was that there is no single “best” HIS. For Dr. Domingo, the best system is one that people actually use.

For local governments, this means that technology choices should be grounded in the realities of their health systems and the needs of the people who will use them. At the same time, systems need to be designed with standards, security, privacy, and interoperability in mind from the outset.

Baguio’s experience illustrates both the opportunities and challenges of taking this approach.

The decision to develop BMRS emerged from the limitations of existing systems. Its continued development, however, has demonstrated that technology alone cannot address the full range of challenges involved in building a sustainable HIS.

The work must also extend to governance, organizational capacity, financing, data stewardship, and continuous improvement.

Continuing the Journey

Baguio City’s experience is not a story of an HIS  that has already reached its endpoint.

It is a story of a local government that recognized a persistent problem, developed a locally responsive solution, and is now working to strengthen the foundations needed to take that solution further.

The journey toward interoperability will require sustained commitment and collaboration among the city government, health workers, national government agencies, technology teams, and development partners.

As Dr. Fagcangan aptly expressed during the workshop, “Malayo na, pero malayo pa.” Baguio has made significant progress, but much remains to be done.

The next steps will be critical: institutionalizing governance, strengthening standards and data protection, investing in people and resources, and ensuring that health information can move securely and meaningfully across systems.

Ultimately, the goal is not interoperability for its own sake. It is to ensure that health information is available when it is needed, understood when it is received, and used to support better decisions, better services, and better health outcomes for every community.

For Baguio City, the work continues. And its experience offers a valuable reference for other local governments navigating their own journey toward stronger, more responsive, and interoperable health information systems.

Authors: Joan Kidatan, ZFF BMLGP Associate for Baguio City

 

 

Okak (mine or my responsibility), oka tako (ours or our shared responsibility), amagen tako (let’s do it together). 

These local expressions, shared by Dr. Hydre Nga-ew, Municipal Health Officer of Kibungan, Benguet, captured the essence of Bridging Leadership: moving from individual ownership to shared ownership and collective action. The reflections echoed the central message of the Bayang Malusog Leadership and Governance Program (BMLGP) Module 2: achieving Universal Health Care (UHC) requires leaders who can unite teams, communities, and stakeholders around a common vision.

Photo above: Kapangan municipal health team, together with Mayor Harris Dizon (third from the right), reviews the municipality’s health system performance.

Related articles:

• The Universal Health Care Journey in Benguet and Baguio: Celebrating Gains, Navigating Hurdles
• From an Empathy-Driven Learning Visit to a Stronger Commitment to Health
• From Data to Dignity: How a Bedside Visit in Kibungan, Benguet Changed a Mayor’s Approach to Universal Health Care

The Zuellig Family Foundation facilitated the module last July 23–24, 2026 in Baguio City for the municipal health teams of Kapangan and Kibungan, Benguet. Representatives from the Benguet Provincial Department of Health (DOH) Office, as well as Kapangan Mayor Harris Dizon participated in the activity, demonstrating strong local and provincial support for advancing health leadership and governance.

Building on the Bridging Leadership framework introduced in Module 1, participants reflected on their leadership practicum experiences, celebrated early wins, and examined persistent challenges in delivering primary health care. Through interactive sessions, they explored strategies for engaging communities, strengthening team dynamics, navigating conflict, and institutionalizing multisectoral partnerships that support responsive, people-centered health systems.

Photo above: Participants present their Circles of Concern, Influence, and Control group output, reflecting on areas where they can lead change to strengthen local health systems.

During the reportback sessions, the municipalities shared their local health realities. Kapangan identified noncommunicable diseases (NCD), particularly hypertension, as its leading health concern. Community participation, integrated service delivery, and medicine availability have enabled better NCD services, while limited human resources, insufficient funding, the absence of dedicated NCD policies, and patient compliance remain key challenges.

Meanwhile, Kibungan reported pneumonia as its leading cause of morbidity, while cancer, cardiovascular disease, and undetermined natural causes accounted for the highest mortality. The municipality cited DOH  support for health workforce augmentation, increased health financing through PhilHealth, and committed health workers as important enablers. However, limited medicine coverage and the high cost of maintaining electronic medical records continue to affect service delivery.

Photo above: Kibungan municipal health team shares strategies for keeping the “fire” of their shared vision alive.

Throughout the two-day learning session, participants noted that effective leadership goes beyond fulfilling individual roles. They recognized the importance of understanding community concerns, collaborating across sectors, and encouraging others to take ownership of a shared vision. They also reflected on conflict as an opportunity for learning and stronger collaboration rather than an obstacle to progress.

Dr. Mary Joy Fermin, former Municipal Health Officer of Kapangan, underscored that achieving better health outcomes requires strong leadership, collaboration, continuous learning, people-centered approaches, and sustained delivery of services. Participants likewise committed to becoming more accommodating leaders, stronger team players, and catalysts for change in their respective municipalities.

Towards the end of the activity, Dr. Andrew Chamson Bacuso of the Benguet Provincial DOH Office, encouraged participants to strengthen collaboration, innovate with purpose, and embrace servant leadership as they continue advancing UHC in their communities. As reflected in the words okak, oka tako, and amagen tako, sustainable health systems are built through shared ownership, collective action, and co-creation with the communities they serve.

Harnessing better health data to improve planning, strengthen investments, and deliver better health outcomes took center stage during the second Bayang Malusog Leadership and Governance Program (BMLGP) Executive Session for Benguet on July 2, 2026.

Guided by Governor Melchor Diclas’ HEALTHIER Benguet agenda (Health Equity and Access across all Life-stages Towards Healthier I-Benguet through Efficient and Responsive Health Systems), the Province of Benguet reaffirmed its commitment to building a more responsive and data-informed health system that advances Universal Health Care (UHC).

Related articles:

• The Universal Health Care Journey in Benguet and Baguio: Celebrating Gains, Navigating Hurdles
• Moving Forward with Health Reforms in Benguet

Collaborative Leadership for Health Transformation

The Executive Session brought together the Provincial Government of Benguet, national government partners, and the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) to revisit commitments from the first Executive Session in 2025 and align on priority actions for the next phase of health systems transformation.

The Province of Benguet was led by Governor Melchor Diclas, together with the Provincial Health Office headed by Dr. Meliarazon Dulay. Also joining the discussions were Dr. Maria Imelda Ulep, Chief of Hospital of Benguet General Hospital; Dr. Mercedes Calpito, Provincial Health Team Leader of the Baguio-Benguet Department of Health (DOH) Office; and Ms. Marilyn Dizon, representing PhilHealth Local Health Insurance Office Benguet. The ZFF delegation was led by Chairman Dr. Manuel Dayrit.

Photo above: ZFF Chairman Dr. Manuel Dayrit and Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas tackle how to turn health data into better services for the province.

Building on Progress

The Provincial Health Office highlighted key milestones achieved since the first Executive Session, including:

• The enactment of the Provincial-wide Health System (PWHS) Ordinance.
• The development of the Special Health Fund (SHF) Manual of Operations.
• Ongoing efforts to strengthen electronic medical records (EMR), telemedicine, and community-based health services through the HEALTHIER Benguet Caravans.

The province also shared continuing challenges, including fragmented health information systems, delayed fund releases, medicine availability, and the realities of delivering services to geographically isolated and disadvantaged communities.

Strengthening Data for Better Health Governance

Recognizing that better health data leads to better decisions, Governor Diclas highlighted the importance of strengthening the province’s EMR system to improve care coordination, monitor service utilization, and support more strategic resource allocation across the province.

He also noted the need to clearly demonstrate how public investments translate into better health services and outcomes—strengthening the province’s ability to advocate for continued investments in health.

Alongside these efforts, Governor Diclas identified completing hospital and dialysis infrastructure, as well as sustaining investments in nutrition and noncommunicable disease prevention, as key priorities under the HEALTHIER Benguet agenda.

From Investments to Measurable Outcomes

Supporting this direction, Dr. Manuel Dayrit encouraged the province to move beyond tracking expenditures and focus on measuring how health investments improve access, service delivery, and population health. He underscored the importance of documenting progress, strengthening health information systems, and using disaggregated data to identify gaps and guide future investments across municipalities.

“You are more clear with what you want to do. You are aware of your bottlenecks,” Dr. Manuel Dayrit said, emphasizing that a clear understanding of both the province’s progress and remaining challenges provides a strong foundation for more focused and measurable health systems transformation.

Photo above: Participants unite during the Executive Session to reaffirm their shared commitment to a data-informed and collaborative health system for a healthier Benguet.

Sustaining the Momentum

The Executive Session concluded with renewed commitments from the Provincial Government of Benguet, the Provincial Health Office, DOH, PhilHealth, and ZFF to strengthen health governance through better data, collaborative leadership, and sustained partnerships.

By advancing stronger health information systems, operationalizing the Special Health Fund, and improving equitable access to quality healthcare, Benguet continues to lay the groundwork for a healthier future for every I-Benguet.

Author: Ayeza De Mesa, ZFF BMLGP Associate

In Kapangan, Benguet, where 11 out of 15 barangays are geographically isolated, the path to better health is rarely easy. 

Last May 15, 2026, Kapangan Mayor Harris Dizon with Dr. Joy Fermin, Municipal Health Officer, joined a guided community immersion referred to as Deep Dive, as part of the Bayang Malusog Leadership and Governance Program (BMLGP) of the Zuellig Family Foundation. 

Related articles:

• From Data to Dignity: How a Bedside Visit in Kibungan, Benguet Changed a Mayor’s Approach to Universal Health Care
• Kibungan and Kapangan’s Grand March Toward a Shared UHC Vision

Following their training in November 2025, the mayor together with the municipal health team committed to a learning journey rooted in empathy. The Deep Dive asked leaders to see the health system through the eyes of the poor and marginalized.

During the orientation, Dr. Fermin presented the municipality’s key health indicators, which set the lens for the Deep Dive that followed. In Kapangan, hypertension is the number one cause of outpatient visits and a leading cause of death, alongside cancer and stroke. In 2025, thirteen percent of all deaths were premature Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) deaths involving individuals under seventy years old.

The team identified several barriers. At the facility level, the clinical laboratory remains unlicensed, preventing essential cholesterol testing. There are periodic stockouts of maintenance medicines. At the community level, patients face out-of-pocket costs, cultural beliefs that normalize very high blood pressure, and the challenge of treatment fatigue. The mountainous terrain and frequent bad weather also keep many seniors from reaching the health stations.

To ground these problems in real life, the team visited an 89-year-old hypertensive living in a household of ten family members who survive on farming and a small pension. The visit shifted the team’s perspective dramatically. The mayor admitted that seeing her difficulty in walking reminded him of his own vulnerabilities.

During the debriefing, the team moved from emotion to action. The mayor committed to a house-to-house visiting program for immobile seniors and pointed to the upcoming July budget cycle as the time to allocate more funds for health. The MHO proposed creating a dedicated NCD  technical working group under the Local Health Board. She also pushed for a functional Electronic Medical Record system, since the current manual tracking only reveals that a patient has stopped their medication months after the fact.

Despite admitting that he considers himself an older learner, Mayor Harris closed the session with a strong statement of commitment. He said he is ready to learn every day to ensure the success of Kapangan’s health programs. The team will reconvene in June 2026 for a practicum assessment and the BLMGP Module 2 training will be held in July to refine their municipal health roadmap.

BMLGP is a three-year commitment (2025–2027) to strengthen Primary Health Care in Benguet and Baguio City by empowering local leaders in operationalizing Universal Health Care.

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.

On behalf of the Zuellig Family Foundation, Chairman Dr. Manuel Dayrit accepted the Drs. Jess and Trining de la Paz Award from Ateneo de Davao University on February 14, 2026. In his speech, he honored the couple’s pioneering spirit in community health. He recalled how, as a young intern in Davao, he was welcomed into their home, where conversations over breakfast and dinner stretched from healthcare to community life. 

Related article:

• Zuellig Family Foundation conferred with Drs. Jess and Trining dela Paz Award 2025

“They would welcome me, and it was just like yesterday when I recall we would be seated for dinners and breakfasts in their veranda dining room in Matina, and we would be discussing all sorts of things—from healthcare, to ordinary things that happen in the country, to community health.”

“Jess and Trining de la Paz were visionaries, and their legacy lives on,” he emphasized, noting that the recognition belongs not only to the Foundation, but to the mayors, health officers, youth leaders, and community workers who have walked with ZFF in advancing community health.

As he closed, Chairman Dayrit reaffirmed ZFF’s mission: “As we accept this award, we recommit ourselves to the values of compassion, service, and integrity.

Banner photo, from left to right: Benjamin Lizada, Chair of the Ateneo de Davao University Board of Trustees; Rev. Karel San Juan, University President; Alma de la Paz; Dr. Manuel Dayrit, Chair of the Zuellig Family Foundation; Dr. Joyce Viar, Rachel Paradiang, and Samantha Morales, ZFF Representatives; and Daniel de la Paz.

Photos from: Ateneo de Davao University

Author: Kristine Paula Bautista, ZFF Public Engagement Associate

The Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) received recognition at Benguet’s SHAYAW (Stellar Health Achievements Yearly Awards) for its partnership in advancing a healthier Benguet.

Benguet conferred a Certificate of Recognition on ZFF in appreciation of the Foundation’s initiatives and continued support of the province’s HEALTHIER Benguet agenda. This agenda works to improve health across all life stages by strengthening equitable, efficient, and responsive health systems for I-Benguet communities.

Related articles:

• Kibungan and Kapangan’s Grand March Toward a Shared UHC Vision 
• Bridging Leadership in Action: Benguet’s Mayors Reaffirm Commitment to UHC Integration
• Moving Forward with Health Reforms in Benguet

The Benguet Provincial Health Office (PHO) leads SHAYAW to recognize partners and local government units that contribute to the province’s health goals. The awards highlight the role of good governance, collaboration, and shared responsibility in improving health outcomes.

ZFF earned recognition for its sustained partnership with the Province of Benguet through the Bayang Malusog Leadership and Governance Program (BMLGP). Through this program, ZFF works with provincial and municipal leaders to strengthen health systems by building leadership and governance capacities. 

This partnership builds on earlier efforts, including Benguet’s completion of ZFF’s Provincial Leadership and Development Program (PLDP) in 2024, achieved through the leadership of Governor Melchor Diclas and Provincial Health Officer II Dr. Meliarazon Dulay.

In her opening message, Dr. Dulay underscored the importance of unity and collective responsibility in advancing health outcomes, describing SHAYAW as a celebration of Benguet’s shared journey, where significant challenges are addressed through small, consistent acts of service carried out together with purpose.

The recognition affirms ZFF’s commitment to working closely with local governments and health leaders to strengthen leadership and governance for health.

Through continued collaboration, ZFF supports Benguet’s efforts to build more equitable, efficient, and responsive health systems for its communities.

Banner photo: (from left to right) Dr. Andrew Chamson Bacuso, Rural Health Physician, Dr. Jocelyn Legaspi, Provincial Health Officer I, and Dr. Meliarazon Dulay, Provincial Health Officer II, Benguet PHO; Ayeza de Mesa, ZFF BMLGP Associate; Erickson Manuel Pawig, ZFF BLMLGP Manager; Hon. Dr. Melchor Diclas, Provincial Governor, Benguet; Hon. Lady Charmain Molintas-Likigan, Sangguniang Panlalawigan Chair for Committee on Health, Benguet

Author: Ayeza De Mesa, ZFF BMLGP Associate

During Module 1 of the Bayang Malusog Leadership and Governance Program (BMLGP) held on November 27–28, 2025, representatives from the municipalities of Kibungan and Kapangan in Benguet—including Kapangan Mayor Harris Dizon—came together to reflect on their leadership journeys and shape a shared vision for Universal Health Care (UHC).

By the end of the module, both groups had crafted messages that captured their hopes for their people: “Maksil ya maketing ay i-Kibungan” (Healthy and resilient people of Kibungan) and “Misyon man-aabat para sin salun-at for a healthier Kapangan” (Our mission for health—together for a healthier Kapangan).

Reflections Rooted in Community

The reflections from the group grew naturally from the Day 1 sessions, where participants explored their values, motivations, and lived experiences through the three-step Bridging Leadership framework of Ownership, Co-Ownership, and Co-Creation.

As part of the Ownership process, the group examined their “why” as leaders—what shaped them, what drives them, and how their stories connect to the health of their communities.

This grounding in personal purpose set the tone for the collective work that followed.

Bryan Alacdis, Kibinungan Municipal Accountant, explained that in their town, support for each other is deeply woven into their way of life. “Our main [quality in Kibungan] is we support each other. Awan ti milak-laksid, awan ti maibat-bati. (No one is left out, no one is left behind.)”

Dizon also connected their collective effort to a familiar cultural symbol in Benguet, the grand march, a traditional dance that brings people together across social, political, and religious lines. 

In the same way, leaders from both municipalities recognized that UHC is a shared movement—everyone stepping in rhythm, carrying their role, and supporting one another.

Co-Ownership, Co-Creation, and Action Planning

On the second day, the groups moved from personal awareness to shared responsibility. Guided by the Zuellig Family Foundation’s Local Health System and BMLGP team, they practiced trust-building, stakeholder mapping, and open dialogue—activities that helped them understand the bigger system they are part of.

With this stronger sense of co-ownership, the teams drafted action plans aligned with the Benguet UHC Roadmap. These plans focused on strengthening primary care, improving coordination between offices, supporting health financing, and making sure resources are used wisely and transparently.

The two-day module ended with a meaningful moment. Participants recited the Pledge of Commitment as Bridging Leaders, affirming their promise to lead with compassion, integrity, and shared responsibility. Afterward, they joined in the grand march—a symbol of unity, community spirit, and moving forward together.

Like the grand march, the UHC journey in Benguet is a collective movement. With visions strengthened by both personal purpose and shared commitment, Kibungan and Kapangan now step forward in rhythm, carrying with them a shared hope for a healthier and stronger Benguet.

Serving as a panelist for two institutions undergoing Performance Governance System (PGS) assessments—the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Limay and Navotas City Hospital (NavCH)—offered me a rare vantage point into how governance, when taken seriously, becomes a living system that shapes culture, performance, and ultimately, the well-being of communities. These experiences, grounded in the work of the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA), provided valuable insights that deeply align with the health governance principles we advance in the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF). They affirmed a central truth: governance is essential, and there is a replicable system that helps leaders translate aspirations into measurable progress. 

Leadership Ownership as the Foundation 

One of the most striking observations from both Limay and NavCH was the strong ownership shown by senior leaders. In Limay, the mayor and department heads demonstrated not only familiarity with their strategies but also a commitment to embedding these into the LGU’s day-to-day governance. In NavCH, the hospital director and management team exhibited similar dedication—an understanding that achieving proficiency under PGS is not merely a compliance exercise but a strategic shift in how the institution envisions its role in delivering quality health services. 

This leadership ownership is not symbolic; it is operational. At both institutions, strategies were cascaded down to staff, creating alignment across units and ensuring that the work of frontline personnel was directly tied to broader institutional goals. This echoes one of ZFF’s long-held principles: transformation happens when leaders champion the change and empower others to carry the vision. 

The Power of Multisectoral Engagement 

Both Limay and NavCH demonstrated the value of multisectoral councils—a core requirement of the PGS. These councils provided governance structures with breadth and diversity, enabling a wider range of stakeholders to co-own the institution’s goals. The councils asked thoughtful questions, brought in external perspectives, and reinforced transparency and accountability. 

For ZFF, this reinforces what we have long practiced in our Health Leadership and Governance Program (HLGP): sustainable health outcomes require whole-of-community engagement. The PGS experience affirms that multisectoral structures remain essential—not as peripheral advisory bodies but as strategic partners in steering direction and sustaining momentum. 

Integration: A Natural Area for Strengthening 

In both Limay and NavCH, one area that emerged as part of their ongoing governance journey is the need to further harmonize the many strategies, programs, and performance requirements that institutions must manage. This is not a shortcoming; rather, it is a common reality for dynamic organizations operating in complex environments. As priorities expand and new mandates are introduced, institutions are continually challenged to ensure that their strategies remain coherent and mutually reinforcing. 

Similarly, the refinement of outcome measurement continues to evolve. Both institutions have already established solid foundations for tracking progress, and they are now at the stage of sharpening how these metrics can more clearly reflect the quality and impact of their work. This is a natural progression—moving from counting activities to capturing meaningful changes in the lives of the people they serve. 

These insights resonate with what we observe in our work at ZFF: institutions that are growing and maturing often reach a point where aligning strategies and deepening measurement become opportunities for greater clarity and acceleration. Rather than obstacles, they signal that an organization is ready to move to the next level of governance practice. 

What This Means for ZFF’s Work 

My experience as a panelist affirms that the PGS model has elements that are highly relevant to ZFF’s approach to health governance. Several insights stand out: 

• A structured governance framework accelerates transformation. The discipline of strategy maps, scorecards, and accountability mechanisms strengthens institutions’ ability to operationalize reforms—a lesson ZFF can integrate more deliberately in helping LGUs sustain health systems improvements. 

• Cascading strategies to frontline workers must be intentional. Just as PGS requires, ZFF can encourage LGUs and health facilities to ensure that midwives, nurses, barangay health workers, and administrative staff all understand how their roles contribute to health outcomes. 

• Multisectoral bodies must evolve from being consultative to being strategic partners. The PGS Governance Council offers a model for how ZFF-supported local health boards and local health teams can deepen their engagement, shift from compliance to stewardship, and anchor decisions on evidence. 

• Measurement should be simplifiable and meaningful. ZFF’s metrics for health leadership and systems development can benefit from the PGS discipline of focusing on indicators that truly reflect progress and impact. 

A Replicable System for Better Governance 

What makes the PGS experience compelling is its replicability. While the contexts of Limay and NavCH differ, both institutions benefited from a governance system that is structured, strategic, and grounded in accountability. For ZFF, this reinforces our core belief that effective governance is not accidental—it is built, practiced, and continually refined. 

As we continue working with LGUs and health facilities across the country, integrating these insights can help strengthen our approach and deepen the impact of our leadership and systems development programs. The PGS experience is a reminder that governance is not only possible, but transformative, when leaders embrace a clear system and commit to sustaining it. 

Photos from: ISA

Author: Dr. Anthony Faraon, ZFF The Challenge Initiative-Philippines Chief of Party