When our team boarded the flight to Bogotá for the 2025 The Challenge Initiative (TCI) Annual Meeting and the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP), we carried more than presentations and data sets. We carried the stories of 24 Philippine cities that have chosen to lead boldly in family planning (FP) and adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH). As a relatively young hub in the global TCI network, the Philippines has always been both a learner and a contributor. This year, however, felt different. For the first time, we arrived not merely to listen but to help shape the direction of the Initiative.

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A Gathering Shaped by Urgency and Imagination

The theme of the Annual Meeting, “Lead from the Future,” captured the spirit of the meeting. Representatives from six TCI hubs across 13 countries came together, each navigating shrinking donor resources, political transitions, and data challenges. Yet despite these pressures, the mood was determined and forward-looking.

In his opening message, TCI Executive Director Kojo Lokko reminded us that the Initiative’s evolution—from Good to Great and Growth Mindset to Reaching New Heights—has always pointed toward long-term sustainability. Leading from the future, he explained, requires clarity about what we hope to achieve and the discipline to act today in ways that bring that vision closer to reality.

Listening to him, I saw how closely this reflects the Philippine journey. In five years, we moved from launching a hub at the height of a lockdown to establishing governance, leadership development, data use, and sustainable financing as the backbone of city programs. Our experience has been a constant cycle of learning, adapting, and improving—often under constraints but always grounded in the belief that cities can lead the change themselves.

Local Leadership at the Center

Our delegation brought this story to the global stage through five scientific presentations at ICFP and through the voices of two city partners: Dr. Benson Panaguiton, City Health Officer of Dipolog City, and Judith Catalan Janiola, City Population Officer of General Santos (GenSan) City.

Judith’s presentation on GenSan’s experience captured attention. She described how local leaders use data not only to monitor performance but also to solve problems, realign priorities, and motivate teams. She highlighted practical actions driven by partnerships with youth organizations, faith leaders, barangay officials, and civil society groups. These efforts helped reduce teenage pregnancies and strengthened community ownership.

A Shifting Global Landscape

Across sessions—from Bayer’s keynote to discussions on domestic financing—a consistent message emerged: the global environment for FP is changing rapidly. Donor funding is tighter, pronatalist and anti-rights movements are gaining momentum, and climate disruptions are affecting service delivery. Health systems must now be more resilient, adaptable, and grounded in local ownership.

During a flash-oral presentation, I shared how Philippine cities are beginning to tap PhilHealth reimbursements to finance FP services. This drew interest, especially from teams exploring sustainable financing models. The idea that a national insurance system can support FP programs illustrates the potential of strengthening and fully utilizing local systems.

Our Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Manager, John David, also shared how standardized data presentations transformed city leadership meetings. Data became easier to understand and discuss, encouraging more leaders—from mayors to youth representatives—to use evidence as the basis for decisions.

Expanding the Philippine Contribution Through Posters

The delegation also presented three posters highlighting how TCI-Philippines strengthens city systems:

• Deputy Chief of Party Pamela Mangilin showcased the Leadership for Adolescent and Youth-Friendly Cities (LAYFC) youth engagement model, demonstrating how trained young leaders create safe spaces and support adolescent reproductive health.
• City Team Leader Teresa Ferrolino presented how inclusive leadership, multisector collaboration, and community involvement enable cities to integrate FP and ASRH into development plans.
• John David examined inconsistencies between local and national FP data and recommended improvements in data governance.

Collectively, these posters highlighted how the Philippine hub advances youth leadership, governance, and data quality to support sustainable FP programs.

Leading From the Future in the Philippine Context

Some of the most meaningful exchanges happened outside formal sessions. Colleagues from other countries asked how a small Philippine team expanded to 24 cities while maintaining cost-efficiency. They inquired about City Leadership Teams, budget protection, and governance reforms aligned with national systems.

These conversations confirmed that the Philippines is becoming a source of global learning. Our strength lies in combining leadership development, system integration, and practical governance tools—elements that help cities continue performing even in uncertain environments.

To lead from the future in the Philippine context means focusing on what works: building strong leaders, institutionalizing coaching and onboarding, optimizing PhilHealth financing, integrating routine data use, partnering with youth and communities, and preparing FP systems to withstand political and environmental change. It means trusting local governments to lead while providing the right support and accountability mechanisms.

A Future Already Emerging

As our delegation left Bogotá, I felt a renewed sense of direction. The future that TCI envisions is already visible in Dipolog, General Santos, Iligan, and across the other 21 partner cities. These local governments are proving that FP does not survive because of projects; it thrives because leaders take responsibility for it.

Author: Dr. Anthony Faraon, ZFF TCI-Philippines Chief of Party

Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) Chairman Dr. Manuel M. Dayrit shares his reflections in the Georgetown-Lancet Commission on Faith, Trust, and Health, drawing from five decades of public health leadership in the Philippines and abroad.

Dr. Dayrit recalls his early work in rural Mindanao, where he learned that trust begins with listening. “We built a community of kindred spirits,” he said. “We learned to speak the language of the heart by listening to their needs and aspirations.”

As a former Secretary of Health and World Health Organization (WHO) Director, he led efforts to strengthen health systems and unite people around a shared mission. Now as ZFF Chair, he continues to guide programs that build local leadership and advance Universal Health Care (UHC)—work that he sees as both technical and spiritual.

“Promoting [UHC] requires attention not only to political and technical issues, but also to the spiritual journey of individuals and communities toward compassion, fairness, and peace,” he said.

Excerpt from the feature:

Why did you want to join a commission focused on faith, trust, and health, and what are you hoping it will achieve?

The invitation to join the Commission came at an auspicious moment. I had recently returned from Southern Philippines [Mindanao], where I met with Imams to discuss teenage pregnancy prevention in a culture where girls are married off as soon as their monthly periods begin. I also met Catholic educators who were teaching Muslim children about health at school. I saw that our local efforts could be shared and amplified by joining a global Commission that seeks to bring faith and health communities together to improve health care for marginalized populations.

Read the full feature here

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• Zuellig Family Foundation Welcomes Dr. Manuel Dayrit as Chairman of the Board of Trustees

The Zuellig Family Foundation’s Accelerated Leadership Development Program aims to expedite Universal Health Care (UHC) implementation in Philippine provinces by enhancing leadership and technical skills among Department of Health regional UHC core teams, critical for overcoming setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

ZFF Abstract_Accelerated Leadership Development Program

The Provincial Leadership and Governance Program (PLGP) of the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) was recently featured in the Philippines’ 2025 Voluntary National Review (VNR) as a key example of how civil society and local government partnerships are helping the country achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-Being.

Implemented from 2019 to 2022 in the provinces of Aklan, Agusan del Sur, and Bataan, the PLGP strengthened provincial governments’ capacity to lead and manage local health systems. The program supported governors, mayors, and their health teams through leadership training, coaching, and technical assistance, with the goal of improving access to primary healthcare, particularly maternal and child health, infectious disease control, and non-communicable disease management.

Assessments conducted in 2023 and 2024 showed positive results. Maternal deaths at the provincial level declined, while skilled birth attendance and facility-based deliveries increased. These improvements reflected the provinces’ strengthened health systems and commitment to prioritizing frontline health services.

The PLGP is part of ZFF’s broader effort, in collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH), academic institutions, and development partners, to enhance local health leadership and governance. The program has since informed the design of the Bayang Malusog Program, which is now being implemented in several regions by DOH Centers for Health and Development, with academic partners, ensuring that lessons from the PLGP contribute to the nationwide acceleration of Universal Health Care.

The 2025 VNR, presented nationally on August 27, 2025, provides a comprehensive assessment of the Philippines’ progress in achieving the SDGs. In his message, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan stressed the importance of sustained collaboration across sectors to institutionalize reforms and meet critical SDG targets.

The full 2025 VNR can be accessed here: https://sdg.depdev.gov.ph/voluntary-national-review-2025/ 

In this case study, leadership plays a pivotal role in driving health systems reform in Balete and New Washington municipalities, with both mayors leveraging health leadership programs to achieve comparable health outcomes despite differing economic standings, demonstrating effective integration into the Aklan Provincial Health System and adherence to principles of Bridging Leadership essential for realizing Universal Health Care goals.

ZFF Case Study_Primary Health Care System of Balete and New Washington in Aklan