For years, Mac Artur Luces Valdemar carried the weight of public service with him, as a son, a pharmacist, and a mayor trying to respond to the needs of his people. 

As a former mayor of the municipality of Jamindan in Capiz, he shares that a turning point in his leadership came when he participated in the Municipal Leadership and Governance Program (MLGP) from 2017 to 2019, a collaborative initiative implemented by the Department of Health (DOH), the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV), and the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF). What began as just an effort to look into the local health system of the municipality became a deeper learning journey that reshaped how he understood leadership, governance, and service.

“I joined MLGP hoping to improve our local health programs,” Valdemar said. “But I left with so much more than tools and templates.” MLGP challenged him to work differently—with partners, communities, and institutions—teaching him to lead not from above, but beside the people he served. This approach, part of the Bridging Leadership framework, became central to how he governed Jamindan.

Jamindan’s identity, he often explained, is rooted in story and memory. Local lore traces the town’s name to Chieftain Amindan and the Hamindang Tree. According to elders, the tree grew from an act of sacrifice made to protect the community. Over time, it stood as a living marker of strength, endurance, and collective responsibility. From the name “Hamindang” came “Jamindan,” a reminder that the town was built not by one person, but through shared struggle and care. Like the tree that withstood storms and seasons, Jamindan grew slowly—nurtured by the hands of generations.

This story shaped how Valdemar viewed leadership. Jamindan, a landlocked first-class municipality in Capiz, is composed of 30 barangays and around 40,000 people, many living in far-flung and mountainous areas. It is home to Panay Bukidnon indigenous communities whose traditions continue to guide community life. To him, every Jamindanganon was like a branch, leaf, or root of the Hamindang Tree—each playing a role in keeping the whole strong.

When he assumed office in 2016, the health data revealed painful realities. Several barangays had no functioning health stations. Families lived with hypertension and diabetes without steady access to medicine. Animal bite cases were high, maternal care was limited, and undernutrition among children was widespread. “These weren’t just statistics,” he said. “These were stories of suffering.” His MLGP learning helped him see the numbers as human lives needing care and attention.

Guided by the MLGP roadmap, the local government placed health at the center of its work. Valdemar often returned to a simple belief: “Kalusugan ay kayamanan. Serbisyong makatao, para sa tanan.” Under this lens, Jamindan invested in health facilities and services that reached even the most remote communities. Barangay Health Stations were built and rehabilitated, and the province’s first licensed Municipal Primary Care Facility was established. Ongoing projects such as the birthing clinic and Super Rural Health Unit II were designed to serve geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, including indigenous barangays.

Health services became more accessible and more humane. Free consultations, laboratory tests, maintenance medicines, and X-ray services were offered. A dedicated Animal Bite Treatment Center, opened in December 2020, began providing free anti-rabies vaccination. “No patient in Jamindan should skip treatment because of poverty,” Valdemar said, echoing a principle he linked back to his MLGP experience.

The influence of MLGP extended beyond health. The same data-driven and participatory approach guided programs in disaster preparedness, social protection, education, agriculture, and livelihood. Through the Serbisyong Makatao Program, a wide range of government services—from medical and dental care to legal assistance and civil registration—were brought directly to communities, free of charge. Each activity, he shared, felt “like a fiesta,” because it strengthened trust and reminded people that the government could be present and caring.

“The true measure of our success lies in the stories of our people,” he said—stories of mothers who now receive prenatal care close to home, children who stay in school because they are fed and vaccinated, and senior citizens who finally have access to free medicines.

As he concluded his term, he reflected on what his MLGP journey helped make possible. “We are not leaving unfinished business,” he said. “We are leaving behind a system, a culture, and a people who now know what responsive governance looks like.” For him, MLGP was the foundation that strengthened his belief that health is not a privilege, but a right.

He continues to hold on to a vision of Jamindan much like the Hamindang Tree—deeply rooted, inclusive, and resilient. A place where no mother fears childbirth, every senior lives with dignity, and every child grows up healthy. It is a vision guided by the lessons he carries from his engagement with MLGP.

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

At 18th Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) Global Health Conference held on October 28–31, 2025, at Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Dr. Joyce Viar, Nutrition Director of the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF), presented how ZFF strengthens nutrition leadership through a governance approach. She introduced the Pook Malusog Nutrition Governance Program and showed how it equips local leaders to work together, make informed decisions, and build stronger, more resilient nutrition systems.

ZFF Presentation_APRU Nutrition Governance

This case study analyzes the factors that contributed to the improvement of Sarangani Province’s nutritional outcomes from 2018 to 2022, describing changes in nutritional outcomes, identifying effective strategies and mechanisms, and examining the influence of leadership and governance interventions as well as lessons learned in planning, implementing, and monitoring nutrition programs.

ZFF Case Study_Nutrition-Sarangani

 

The Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) celebrated the graduation of nine Global Self-Reliant Cities under The Challenge Initiative (TCI)-Philippines: General Santos, Iriga, Isabela de Basilan, Lapu-Lapu, Pasig, Mandaluyong, Quezon City, Tacurong, and Tagum. Held on October 14, 2025, this TCI-Philippines’ Batch 3 Colloquium showcased how these cities are advancing family planning and adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health (AYSRH) through data-driven leadership and community innovation. 

Read more:

• Nine Cities Recognized as Global Self-Reliant Cities in Reproductive Health

Ilocos Region’s Universal Health Care (UHC) provincial health teams gathered in La Union last July 4 to 6 for training activities under the BayangMalusog Provincial Leadership Development Program. BayangMalusog is a health leadership development program to accelerate UHC implementation in partner provinces.

The sessions were implemented by the Department of Health – Ilocos Center for Health Development in partnership with the University of the Philippines – College of Public Health (UP-CPH) and the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF).

The training focused on helping provincial health teams become adaptive leaders to improve the region’s health outcomes in line with UHC’s implementation. The sessions included sharing experiences, good practices, and challenges of the areas in their UHC progress and workshops on team dynamics and developing team synergy. The event ended with the development of action plans for the region’s #JumpSTART in UHC for BayangMalusog.

The UP-CPH facilitated the executive session for Governors Jerry Singson of Ilocos Sur and Rafy Ortega-David of La Union, focusing on the governors’ learnings from the deep dive sessions, action plans, and leadership strategies in leading the UHC Implementation. Both governors expressed their strong support for the upcoming activities of their region to implement UHC.

At the end of the activity, DOH CHD Director Dr. Paula Paz Sydiongco and DOH CHD Assistant Director Dr. Rodolfo Antonio M. Albornoz reaffirmed their support to the governors towards the progress and implementation of UHC in the Ilocos Region.

The Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) is honored to share its on-the-ground experience and knowledge while learning from others in the independent advisory board created by the Department of Health (DOH) to fast-track Universal Health Care (UHC) reforms, with the appointment of Austere A. Panadero, executive director of the ZFF as a member.

DOH officer in charge Rosario Vergeire formed the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts for UHC Implementation (UHC SAGE) to build on the gains from the public-private, multi-sectoral participation
for COVID-19 response.

Other members of the board are ZFF trustee Dr. Esperanza I. Cabral representing the Philippine Heart
Center, University of the Philippines (UP) professor Antonio Dans, M.D., UP Professor Emeritus Ernesto
Domingo, M.D., Medical City consultant and former UP professor Mary Ann Lansang, M.D., Dr. Edwin
Mercado of the DMMC Institute of Health Sciences, UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla, M.D.,
and former UP School of Economics Dean Orville Solon, Ph.D.

Based on the DOH personnel order 2022-4852 creating the group, the responsibilities of the members include the provision of technical assessments and review of documents on the following:

• Nationwide adoption of the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan as an investment plan for health
• Implementation of fiscal streamlining in public hospitals
• Implementation of the Diagnosis Related Group-Based Global Budget and the Comprehensive Outpatient Benefit Package
• Reconciliation of the databases of the Philippine Statistics Authority and PhilHealth, and the conduct of a primary care census
• Creation of a Central Medicine Store for pooled procurement

• Development of a Pharmacy Benefits package that allows PhilHealth to accredit and pay for retail pharmacies
• Streamlining of accreditation and licensing for primary care facilities
• Implementation of healthy schools, communities, and workplaces

• Establishment of the DOH Action Center and hospital fast lanes for health care workers’ concerns and benefit compensation processing
• Creation of health scholarship opportunities and the Medical Reserve Corps

ZFF’s UHC program

By the time Universal Health Care became law in 2019, ZFF had designed a program to assist three provinces—Agusan del Sur, Aklan, and Bataan— in the UHC transition. ZFF’s earlier work with provinces prompted governors to establish a functional service delivery network involving both provincial and municipal health facilities. The gains during the program provided a backbone for the three provinces’ work on UHC and response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Provincial health boards (PHBs), whose memberships expanded, were fully activated under ZFF’s pre-UHC program. During the pandemic, the PHBs quickened the pace in localizing policies, pushing for local health reforms, and engaging various stakeholders. These provinces increased health care capacities, upgraded medical equipment and laboratories, and kept their people informed.

With ZFF guidance, the provinces remained deliberate in meeting the government-set key result areas (KRAs) for UHC maturity during the pandemic. The three fulfilled all 12 KRAs under the preparatory level six months before the government’s end-2022 target.

The developments in ZFF’s provinces prompted then Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje to ask ZFF for a similar program for regional health officials. The resulting partnerships for northern Luzon officials introduced the Leadership Development Program, which improved the capacities of regional officers in mentoring and coaching local chief executives and health officials. As a result, provinces and cities moved faster in meeting targeted KRAs. In three months, the partnerships expanded to have governors enroll in the ZFF program. Before 2022 ended, ZFF had partnerships with four regional offices of the DOH: Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Eastern Visayas. These involve 15 provinces: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Apayao, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte.

(Published March 2, 2023)

Two abstracts by Zuellig Family Foundation’s local health system (LHS) team were part of the poster presentation during the 25th University of the Philippines (UP) Manila National Institutes of Health Anniversary Conference held on February 27 and 28, 2023 at the UP Bonifacio Global City.

This year’s conference theme was “Transforming Health Systems Toward Universal Health Care (UHC) Through Research Partnerships.” It provided a venue to learn from the latest research and best practices and network with experts and colleagues.

Co-authored by Dr. Catherine Chung and Dr. Jenilyn Dabu, the two abstracts presented were: (1) “The role of regional UHC core teams in accelerating UHC in the provinces;” and (2) “Realizing Universal Health Care in the Barangays: The Dinalupihan Case Study.”

UHC core team training

Under the “Bayang Malusog” Regional Leadership Development Program, a capability development program co-designed with the Department of Health Field Implementation and Coordination Team of North Luzon, the leadership and technical competencies of the regional UHC core teams were enhanced to ensure quality facilitation of the UHC implementation in the provinces. After 10 months, all UHC sites in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and Cordillera Administrative regions achieved the national target for the preparatory level (above 70%) in the UHC LHS maturity standards set by the DOH.

Improving primary care

Under the Provincial Leadership and Governance Program, barangay officials and municipal health team leaders in Dinalupihan (Bataan) underwent capacity-building training for better primary care services. Their enhanced competencies resulted in improved health system monitoring that helped develop evidence-based decision-making and better primary care facilities in managing noncommunicable diseases.

Learn more about ZFF’s programs on improving local health systems: https://zuelligfoundation.org/programs/local-health-system/.

(Published February 28, 2023)

Resilience to natural and man-made disasters tops the agenda of Siargao Island mayors after they witnessed the devastation of typhoon Odette (international name: Rai). To reach resiliency, the mayors are prioritizing health and nutrition improvements to ensure their constituents’ good health and safety even during emergencies. The Alumni Association of Asian Institute of Management (AAAIM) and the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) partnered to bring the Municipal Nutrition Governance Program (MNGP) to five local government units (LGUs).

The first of the multi-modular training program was held from February 1 to 3. Taking time off from their busy schedules to attend the sessions were three mayors and one vice mayor: Mayor Angie Arcena of Burgos, Mayor Maria Liza Resurreccion of Pilar, Mayor Arwela Dolar of Sta. Monica, and Vice Mayor Wellybell Requirme of San Benito.

“We have a scheduled event in Manila but we chose to be here because we see the importance of looking into our nutrition system. At the end of the day, this is not for us but for the youth who will become our municipal leaders in the future,” shared Mayor Resurreccion.

The MNGP focuses on improving the nutritional outcomes during the first 1,000 days or from conception until a child reaches two years—a period of critical brain and body development.

The mayors had four other municipal members form their core teams for nutrition. The core team from the LGU of San Isidro was also present.

The teams identified specific steps they will be taking in the next 12 months to improve nutrition service delivery systems. Their progress will be monitored by AAAIM and ZFF, which will also provide coaching support.

Technical assistance will come from National Nutrition Council regional program coordinator Dr. Archie Labordo, who was present during the training.

Aside from ensuring actual steps are done from now until the next training in the third quarter of the year, ZFF and AAAIM will evaluate the program based on decreases in nutritionally at-risk pregnant women, low birth weight, stunting, and wasting.

The design of the MNGP is based on ZFF’s past nutrition programs in rural municipalities, cities, and provinces that immediately brought down cases of stunting and wasting.

(Published February 16, 2023)