Text by Charmaine A. Lingdas
Photos by Erlyn May U. Pareja and January R. Kanindot
“It is through health that we can reach the people and make them feel we are giving them the best service.” – Dr. Edward Tandingan, Public Health Officer, Kalinga Province
An inaugural cohort of four governors, along with their respective Provincial Health Officers (PHOs) is taking strides in becoming public health champions through the Roberto R. Romulo (RRR) Fellowship for Public Health Leadership and Governance. Throughout this fellowship, these Fellows (governors) and Associate Fellows (PHOs) have gained profound insights into the health challenges within their provinces, fostering a comprehensive approach to Universal Health Care.
The University of the Philippines Manila – College of Public Health (UPM-CPH), as the leading institution in cultivating public health champions, spearheaded the fellowship program under the Dr. Stephen Zuellig Program for Public Health Leadership and Governance (DSZPHLG) and in collaboration with the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF), and the UP Diliman National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG). This initiative aims to hone the governors together with their PHOs to be capable of leading and implementing policy and program reforms in their respective provinces.
Equipped with the knowledge learned during Module 1 held in August 2023 and through the mentoring and coaching sessions, Aklan Governor Jose Enrique Miraflores and PHO Dr. Leo Magallanes Ismael, Dinagat Island Governor Nilo Demerey Jr. and PHO Dr. Vinjohan S. Manlapaz, Davao de Oro Governor Dorothy Gonzaga and PHO Dr. Antonio P. Ybiernas Jr., and Kalinga Governor James Edduba and PHO Dr. Edward Tandingan were able to identify and present their provinces’ health data and outline their ongoing challenges during the Module 2 training of the RRR Fellowship, held at Bayview Park Hotel Manila on May 9 and 10, 2024.
“This (RRR Fellowship) is a very useful tool for me para ma-address ko yung concerns ng aking probinsya, lalong lalo na sa pressing concerns on the health issues namin,” asserted Governor Gonzaga, expressing her gratitude for the RRR Fellowship.
The participants of the fellowship were selected with the following criteria: representation from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao; individuals from different income classes; those from geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA); first-term governors dedicated to improving health outcomes in their provinces;and participants able to generate and committed to pursuing innovative ideas.
“I think one of the things that should really come out with the Fellowship is that the governor understands what the data is all about and can ask questions about the data kasi at the very end, an understanding of your health system is based on the data and depending on where you’re coming from,” said Prof. Ernesto D. Garilao, Chairman of ZFF.
LGU Updates on health priorities and challenges
Updates from Aklan, Davao de Oro, Dinagat Islands, and Kalinga highlighted key health indicators and challenges. From Aklan, Dr. Ismael identified suicide and mental health, animal bites, and non-communicable diseases as top priorities, while Gov. Miraflores shared their ongoing efforts to address rising suicide rates through school and peer counseling programs and announced an upcoming mental health summit in Boracay, spearheaded by the WHO and DOH.
In Davao de Oro, Dr. Ybiernas highlighted several challenges: low rates of fully immunized children, inadequate basic oral healthcare for children and seniors, high teenage pregnancy rates, few Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) certified barangays, and drinking water quality issues. Gov. Gonzaga reinforced the statement given by Gov. Miraflores on the importance of addressing the mental health of youth in provinces, noting that in some cases, peer support would no longer suffice, and that the provision of medical maintenance must be explored.
Dr. Manlapaz presented the priority health issues of Dinagat Islands like malnutrition, underweight, stunting, low immunization coverage in children, and access to safe drinking water, while Gov. Demerey addressed why their province struggles to meet the national immunization target: despite innovative efforts, they face challenges due to inaccuracy in the residency data. He asserted that rectifying this data is crucial to improving vaccination rates.
In his presentation on Kalinga Province, Dr. Tandingan highlighted several major challenges: low immunization coverage in 2023, a rising number of suicide cases, significant maternal deaths despite a decline, stunting in children, and more deaths from vehicular and traffic injuries. Gov. James Edduba shared that whenever he sees high numbers on health data, he suggests solutions like increasing the budget for certain areas and focusing on addressing those issues.
“I think moving forward, we need to reevaluate what we are doing, are we doing the right things, and are we doing enough of the right things,” asserted Mr. Austere A. Panadero, President of the ZFF. He highlighted the evolution of local health systems and emphasized the need to be innovative and address new and emerging issues. He stressed the complexity of health systems and the necessity to adapt solutions to evolving needs.
Module 2 of the RRR Fellowship sessions allowed the participants to have additional insights through esteemed speakers such as CPH Associate Professor Dr. Paul Michael R. Hernandez; UP NCPAG Dean Dr. Kristoffer B. Berse; CPH Associate Professor and Assistant to the Dean for Planning and Development Dr. TJ Robinson T. Moncatar; CPH Dean and Center Director Dr. Fernando B. Garcia, Jr.; and Ms. Estrella Torres, Communications Specialist at USAID ProtectHealth. The sessions covered a range of critical topics including assessing progress, leading change, managing stakeholders, ensuring quality management, crafting innovations, effective communication and advocacy, and strategic action planning.
Gratitude for ZFF, CPH, and NCPAG
“I would like to thank the ever-supportive ZFF, the UP Manila College of Public Health, and the UP Diliman NCPAG for the opportunity to learn and for teaching us how to innovate and strategize to achieve better health outcomes for our respective provinces,” said Dr. Ismael.
In his remarks, Gov. Demerey shared that they’ve learned a lot in the fellowship and are eager to adopt and innovate new ideas, which propels innovation in Dinagat Islands. He outlined his province’s objectives, including advancement in industrialization, fisheries, agriculture, mining, and eco-tourism. He emphasized the importance, stating, “Hindi namin makakamit yan kung hindi healthy yung mga tao so kailangan namin matuto at kailangan tayong magsikap pa so that we will be able to apply this universal health on the ground.”
In October 2024, the Fellowship program will conclude with a Leadership Forum for RRR Fellows (Recognition of Innovations and Results). During this forum, the Fellows will present their outputs, which include policy recommendations based on their experiences and detailed documentation of the innovative practices and solutions they have developed throughout the program.
Read more about the Roberto R. Romulo (RRR) Fellowship for Public Health Leadership and Governance:
