Text by: Jennifer Manongdo
Photos by: Jaira Purificacion
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) marked its 28th anniversary on Feb. 26, 2026, at Ramon Magsaysay Center in Manila, with a strong call for a unified action under the One Health framework.
Under the theme “Addressing Global Challenges: Strengthening Research Collaborations through One Health,” NIH Executive Director Marissa Alejandria opened the conference by emphasizing the role of research in shaping policy and improving lives and encouraged researchers, practitioners, and partners to recognize how collaboration across sectors strengthens the impact of evidence and knowledge. Serving as the institute’s “North Star,” the One Health framework recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. Experts recognize this integrated framework as essential in addressing modern global health challenges.
Dr. Alejandria also reflected on the institutional growth of the NIH since its founding in 1998, growing from three institutes to sixteen institutes and centers, with plans to establish two additional institutes and one center. These are the Institute for Social Innovation in Health, the Health Promotion Research Institute, and the Training Center for Good Clinical Practice and Applied Ethics in Research. Future initiatives also include an Institute of World Safety and Injury Prevention and study groups focused on neuroscience, mental health, climate change, and One Health.
“As we look into the future, I urge everyone to continue fostering discovery and innovation, translating our research into tangible solutions, be it new products, policies, or services that serve our nation and beyond,” she said.
University of the Philippines Manila Chancellor Michael Tee reinforced these themes and challenged the academic community to rethink its role. “In the University, we do not just teach—we build tools for government and industry to use,” he said. Research, he emphasized, is only meaningful if it reaches people, if data is properly interpreted, and if evidence is transformed into policy.
Through his AGILE framework (Academe-Government-Industry-Leadership-Engagement) Chancellor Tee extended his message to concerned sectors. He called on the academe to break down silos and pursue transdisciplinary research, urged the government to prioritize prevention and align policy with local realities, and encouraged relevant industries to adopt sustainable practices, share data for the public good, and engage as genuine partners in innovation.
He also called for an authoritative shift from descriptive science to prescriptive policy, urging researchers, government agencies, and communities to work in closer coordination to strengthen the country’s One Health agenda.
Generating research is no longer enough, the Chancellor noted. He said scientists must also translate findings into clear policy recommendations and communicate evidence responsibly to counter misinformation.
“We are the National Institutes of Health. By law, we have the formal authority to do that. The NIH as the AGILE hub, has the power to practice its leadership domains at the national level. Bridging the silos should require translation. Translate your science to policy. Translate your policy to practice,” he emphasized.
Collaboration for Universal Healthcare
Dr. Jaime C. Montoya, executive director of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) emphasized collaboration across relevant sectors as no single institution can address complex health challenges alone. He also highlighted the importance of translating research outputs into real-world benefits for communities and public health programs.
For his part, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa recognized the timeliness of the conference’s theme considering the current global health challenges such as emerging pathogens, antimicrobial resistance, and the health impacts of climate change. He described the One Health Framework not as a mere scientific concept but as a strategy for survival. He said local research must reflect the country’s ecological and social realities.
“As a nation uniquely positioned at the crossroads of biodiversity and climate vulnerability, our research must reflect our reality that understands how the health of our forests, our livestock, our urban ecosystems directly dictates the health of the children in a remote barangay or a crowded city center,” he said. “Research to capture these images is essential to designing interventions that are not only effective but sustainable.”
UP President Atty. Angelo Jimenez commended the NIH for translating many of its research into real-world impact. “The NIH has produced research that truly matters to the Philippines. Your work helped lay the foundation for landmark policies,” he noted. “Just to name a few, these include the Newborn Screening Act, the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention Act, the Rare Disease Act, and the National Vision Screening Act.”
The UP official also called for stronger systems, better policies and deeper partnerships among stakeholders to produce meaningful impact in the country.
Thematic Panel Discussions
These ideas were further explored in four panel discussions which examined the intersections of health, innovation, governance, and collaboration in addressing pressing One Health challenges.
A panel discussion on the topic “At the Crossroads: Human, Animal, and Environmental Health in the Philippines” highlighted the current state of human, animal, and environmental health in the world and Philippines within a One Health Framework. The panelists were One Health advocate and Professor of the University of Texas, Dr. Gregory Gray; National Programme Coordinator of the Food and Agricultural Organization Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases, Dr. Michelle Balbin; College of Veterinary Medicine Dean, UP Los Banos, Dr. Maria Amelita Estacio; and UP College of Medicine Professor Dr. Irma Makalinao. The session was moderated by Dr. Ryan Lintao and Dr. Rohani Navarro.
A second panel discussion delved into the “Innovations on Human Health, Animal Health & Safety, and Environmental Health & Climate Change.” This session explored the technological, scientific, and social innovations that can enhance health outcomes across humans, animals, and the environment. The panelists were College of Veterinary Medicine Professor at UP Los Baños, Dr. Remil Galay; Research Assistant Professor of the Institute of Child Health and Human and Development at NIH, Dr. Michelle Ylade; Project Lead of PLASMIDS Project at UP Tacloban, Dr. Zoe Mallonga, and Dr. Miguel Antonio Salazar from the Alliance for Improving Health Outcomes Inc.
The session was moderated by Dr. Karl Evans Henson and Dr. Kimberly Mae Ong. In the session, Dr. Mallonga revealed that the current monitoring of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria (ARB) only shows the current issue. “The PLASMIDS [project] shows what could happen next,” she noted, and raised the issue of existing gaps in wastewater treatment facilities. “I am not sure how much of the microbes are actually treated or sterilized. We do chlorination, but I’m not sure if that eliminates Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria,” she warned.
The third panel discussion tackled the Policy and Governance aspect in advancing integrated One Health strategies, including strategic actions to strengthen regulation, coordination, and accountability mechanisms. The panelists were the Director III and Focal Officer of Climate Change and Health of the Department of Health, Dr. Ronald Law; World Health Organization Technical Officer for Emergencies and Humanitarian Action, Rowena Capistrano; the Advisor for Global Health Security and One Health Global Health Technical Assistance and Mission Support (GH-TAMS) Project, Dr. Noel Miranda; and the Director, Institute of Health Policy and Development Studies of NIH, Dr. Hilton Lam.
The fourth panel discussion centered on “One Health Collaboration in Action: Tackling AMR.” This session tackled antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a critical cross-sectoral challenge requiring collective action. Cross-sectoral collaboration in addressing emerging and re-emerging health threats were presented. The panelists were UPCM Professor and Project Lead, One Health Approach in the Characterization of Bacterial Antimicrobial Resistance in the Greater Manila Area, Dr. Sharon Yvette Angelina Villanueva; Technical Advisor to the Philippine Inter-Agency Committee on Environmental Health and Research Faculty, Ateneo Center for Research and Innovation, Dr. Geminn Louis Apostol; Mabel Johana Ortiz De Leo from the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions, and Dr. Uriel Cachero from the Pharmaceutical Division, DOH. The session was moderated by Dr. John Mark Velasco and Dr. Anton Elepaño
Dr. Raul Destura, research professor from the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, delivered a talk on “Addressing Global Challenges through One Health: The Way Forward.”
The conference also included a poster exhibit showcasing recent research and a “Meet & Greet” session to foster collaboration among researchers and policymakers. Complementing the main program was an exploratory networking roundtable involving UP Manila and NIH leadership and international partners.
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