DOH: UHC Expansion Must Translate Into Better Healthcare for Filipinos

The Philippines has expanded its Universal Health Care (UHC) integration sites to 114, covering 95 percent of provinces and key cities in 2026, but health officials say the next challenge is ensuring that the expansion results in accessible and quality medical services.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported that the number of integration sites has nearly doubled from 58 in 2020, following the enactment of the UHC Act in 2019.

The sites are intended to establish province-wide and city-wide health systems that connect healthcare facilities, from community health centers to hospitals, and improve coordination in delivering medical services.

However, officials emphasized that increasing the number of integration sites and consolidating health funds would not automatically improve healthcare access without effective local financial management and service delivery.

The issue was discussed during the 2026 High-Level UHC Summit and Strategic Health Partners Dialogue held on Nov. 5 to 6, bringing together the DOH, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Turning health funds into services

DOH Acting Secretary Edwin Mercado said the success of UHC should be assessed based on how effectively government resources are converted into actual healthcare services, rather than simply counting integration sites or measuring the amount of money pooled under the Special Health Fund (SHF).

“This means strengthening primary healthcare, establishing functional referral networks, improving health facility management and ensuring that quality health services are accessible, available, and affordable to all. Through our UNA (Unified National Agenda) for Cooperation, I call on our national and local government and all our health partners to translate our efforts into better healthcare services and improved health outcomes for every Filipino,” Mercado said in a statement.

The SHF combines health resources from national and local government allocations to support priority health programs, finance essential services and coordinate healthcare delivery within local jurisdictions.

During the summit, stakeholders highlighted the need for transparent allocation of these funds, stronger financial management and closer coordination to ensure that resources reach healthcare facilities and communities.

PhilHealth Acting President and Chief Executive Officer Beverly Lorraine Ho said the agency would work to simplify accreditation procedures and accelerate reimbursements to local health facilities.

Ho stressed that making funds available was only one part of achieving UHC, as resources must also be properly allocated and used to ensure that services reach Filipinos, particularly those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

“Through stronger collaboration with the DOH and local government units, Philhealth aims to strengthen health financing at the local level, support the delivery of essential health services and build a more responsive and accessible healthcare system for all Filipinos,” Ho said.

Local health planning

The WHO underscored the importance of using reliable health data to help local governments identify priority needs and gaps in healthcare investments.

The organization is supporting the development of health profiles for all 82 provinces to guide local planning and determine which areas require additional resources.

WHO representative to the Philippines Dr. Eunyoung Ko said the profiles would help local governments identify the investments needed to accelerate progress toward universal health coverage.

Meanwhile, ULAP interim national president and Quezon City Mayor Ma. Josefina “Joy” Belmonte pointed to the continuing gap between national health policies and the actual experiences of communities seeking medical services.

“There remain a lot of gaps between the promises of the law and the everyday realities that our citizens endure every single day. As local chief executives, we are tasked to bridge the gap between national healthcare policies and the realities down at the grassroots,” Belmonte said.

Health financing and service delivery experiences from Davao de Oro, Quezon Province, Dagupan City and Leyte were also presented during the discussions to allow local governments to share practices and learn from one another.

Commitment to stronger coordination

The two-day summit concluded with the endorsement of a commitment to action by ULAP and its member leagues, the DOH, PhilHealth and the WHO.

The commitment calls for stronger cooperation in local health planning, financial management and healthcare delivery to address gaps in the implementation of UHC.

Officials said the country’s progress should ultimately be measured by whether Filipinos can obtain quality healthcare when needed without facing financial hardship.

Despite the expansion to 114 integration sites, they emphasized that improving coordination, managing public funds effectively and strengthening services at the community level remain essential to making universal healthcare accessible to all.