Eastern Visayas Pushes Forward with Universal Health Care
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“Is there a way of digitizing preventive care?” Dr. Manuel M. Dayrit, Chair of the Zuellig Family Foundation, asks during the Provincial Leadership and Development Program (PLDP) Colloquium in Eastern Visayas on July 3, 2025. He continued, “Because if you can get a big picture, bring the spectrum—of clinical care and preventive care—together, then you have a total approach to UHC (Universal Health Care).”
The colloquium marked the completion of the Bayang Malusog PLDP (2022–2024) run in Eastern Visayas, a partnership between the Department of Health (DOH) Eastern Visayas, University of the Philippines Manila School of Health Sciences, and Zuellig Family Foundation. The program supported provincial leaders in all six provinces—Leyte, Southern Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Biliran—to lead local health reforms as part of their push for UHC. Each province made its own progress, with efforts focused on improving nutrition, and adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health (AYSRH).
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Among the gains celebrated were integrated provincial UHCroadmaps, 70% achievement of organizational targets, and progress in qualifying nearly all provinces for Health Care Provider Network (HCPN) contracting. Dr. Dayrit pointed out that the program’s strength lies in developing both political and technical leadership—a combination essential to navigating demographic, economic, and system-level challenges.
Keynote speaker Dr. Alvin Marcelo, Professor, Lecturer, and Program Lead for the Standards and Interoperability Lab (SILab), noted that achieving UHC requires seamless interoperability of health information systems. He stressed the need to address governance, technical, and programmatic gaps through a structured framework: teaming, tooling, training, testing, and transfer.
Local leaders also shared real results. Southern Leyte Vice Governor Rosa Emilia Mercado highlighted how an immersion activity, the Deep Dive, inspired policy changes. After meeting a 15-year-old mother, Governor Damian Mercado and his team passed ordinances that funded AYSRH programs and strengthened pregnancy prevention.
Leyte Governor Carlos Petilla introduced the Quick Medical Record (QMeR) system, which connects patient records, referral services, and PhilHealth claims in one digital platform. This system now powers efficient healthcare across multiple facilities, with potential for wider rollout.
Despite these successes, DOH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Dr. Exuperia Sabalberino reminded participants that more work lies ahead. She called for scaling up innovations, deepening partnerships, and ensuring equitable access to health services for every Eastern Visayan. With strong foundations laid, the region’s leaders are now tasked with turning the full promise of UHC into reality.