Santa Rosa, Laguna — The Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF)’s Bayang Malusog Community of Practice (CoP) held a face-to-face learning visit on September 4, 2025, at Healthway QualiMed Hospital, where Chief Operating Officer Atty. Nirmala Barbara Vanguardia welcomed members and introduced the hospital’s approach to providing quality health care.

Participants representing 11 CoP member areas (Aklan, Apayao, Benguet, Eastern Samar, Ifugao, Kalinga, La Union, Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya, Occidental Mindoro, and Baguio City) took part in the session to learn how a private health institution manages its systems and sustains its operations. The visit gave participants an opportunity to compare experiences and see how good practices in hospital and primary care management could inspire solutions in local government health systems. 

Hospital leaders presented the facility’s background, expansion plans, and organizational structure. They emphasized that clarifying roles and responsibilities helps teams work effectively and prevents overlaps. Members found this lesson particularly relevant as many provinces are still refining their own organizational arrangements for Universal Health Care (UHC) implementation.

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The hospital also showcased its referral network under the Healthway Medical Network, explaining how it links patients to appropriate care, supports information flow, and ensures continuity of services. CoP members noted that strengthening referral systems remains a common challenge in local settings, making this example valuable. The discussion on financial management further gave members insights on how sound systems can sustain service delivery and improve efficiency.

A guided tour of the hospital allowed participants to observe operations firsthand, from equipment standards to human resource practices. The interactive exchange encouraged members to raise questions on how these systems could be adapted in their provinces, especially in contexts where resources are limited.

In the plenary session, members reflected on the visit and shared how they plan to apply their learnings. Some said the clear structure and systematic networking approach of Healthway could serve as models for strengthening their own provincial health systems. Others expressed that seeing the hospital’s practices in action made the lessons more concrete and easier to adapt.

Dr. Catherine Chung, Local Health Systems Director at ZFF, closed the activity with words of encouragement, reminding the members that peer learning and exposure to different models help build stronger foundations for UHC. She urged participants to translate their insights into action, carrying forward the motivation from the visit into their communities.

During the Department of Health’s series of summits, four governors stated their priorities to advance toward Universal Health Care (UHC). The four are from the provinces of Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Ilocos Norte, all enrolled in Zuellig Family Foundation’s (ZFF) Provincial Leadership Development Program to Accelerate UHC (LDP-UHC).

For Pangasinan Gov. Ramon Guico III, the priority will be on investments that will improve the 14 provincial government-managed hospitals and their health workers.

Similarly, Ilocos Sur Gov. Jerry Singson shared that investments to ensure quality health services are in place to address the financial burden brought about by infirmity.

La Union Gov. Raphaella Veronica Ortega-David called for all municipalities to integrate into a province-wide health system and pushed for cooperative undertakings that would ensure all sectors are ready to support the health needs of the people.

Meanwhile, Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Manotoc shared that his province is already integrating UHC-aligned health programs across all municipalities.

The LDP-UHC will help governors realize their priorities since the program is designed to help improve leadership and technical competencies to strengthen primary care, enhance health facility referrals, and ensure needed investments to support such reforms.

As Sytiongco said, “Universal Health Care (UHC) requires commitment, dedication, and strong will among all significant players,” and LDP-UHC is expected to develop the related leadership competencies.

With the theme “Hawak Kamay Tungo sa Tagumpay, UHC Ating Iwagayway,” the series of UHC summits included discussions on UHC law’s principles and policies led by former DOH Undersecretary Dr. Mario Villaverde. PhilHealth Vice President Dr. Israel Pargas also presented the financial integration measures. A gallery walk showcased the initiatives and early successes of the four provinces.

During the events, key stakeholders in the Ilocos region–led by the governors, mayors, local councils, hospital chiefs, and health officers–signed the pledge of commitment to lead the provincial health system reforms to achieve UHC goals and improve health program and service delivery in the provinces.

(Published September 9, 2022)