Chancellor Michael Tee tackled the importance of investing in agriculture in his keynote speech during the 18th Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) Week, on Aug. 13-15, 2025, at the Marison Hotel in Legazpi City, Albay. Text by Charmaine A. LingdasPhoto courtesy of DOST PCHRD University of the Philippines Manila Chancellor Michael Tee emphasized the importance of investing in agriculture to ensure food security and address hunger and poverty in his keynote address during the 18th Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) Week, on Aug. 13-15, 2025, at the Marison Hotel in Legazpi City, Albay. “When we talk about health, it is very important that we talk about food security and nutrition in the world,” noting that about 757 million people, or 10% of the world’s population, remain hungry, despite global efforts against food insecurity, poverty, and hunger.   He cited Southeast Asia, where policies are shifting from short-term relief (“ayuda”) to long-term investments in agriculture. “Investing in agriculture is a way to ensure food security. More than ayuda, it is agriculture,” he stressed. Themed “One Health for All: Igniting Transdisciplinary Solutions for a Healthier Philippines,” this year’s PNHRS Week was hosted by the Bicol Consortium for Health Research and Development (BCHRD) and brought together health professionals, researchers, students, and policymakers nationwide. Aside from agricultural products, Chancellor Tee emphasized the importance of supporting aquaculture and fisheries as part of the seven priorities for ending hunger. “We think that it has a low environmental footprint, produces diverse products, enhances food security, improves nutrition, and somehow eradicates poverty,” he explained. However, he also raised concerns about threats to food sources in aquatic environments. Citing research from Los Baños, he noted the detection of antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas in tilapia from Sampaloc Lake. He asked whether this was linked to hospital waste contaminating water bodies or to the broader environmental impacts of food security efforts. He warned that antimicrobial resistance in aquaculture has already been reported in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia and urged the development of solutions such as probiotics, vaccines, smart farming, and preventive measures that would use beneficial bacteria against harmful ones. Universal Health Care From food systems, Chancellor Tee transitioned to healthcare equity. He highlighted the gains of Universal Health Care (UHC), noting that before its implementation, low-income females had lower survival rates, but these improved under UHC.  Broadening the discussion, the Chancellor examined inequities through the One Health lens. “Through the lens of One Health, we see that inequities are worsened by weak surveillance, zoonotic diseases affecting the poor and rural communities, and environmental degradation,” he said. Expanding agriculture and industry, he warned, has led to deforestation and land-use changes, creating new disease pathways. He cited antimicrobial resistance, rabies, dengue, Zika, and waterborne diseases as examples of health threats amplified by human activity. “One Health is therefore a crucial tool in achieving universal healthcare and improving public health,” he stressed. Tracing the roots of One Health, Chancellor Tee highlighted pioneers such as Hippocrates, Edward Jenner, Louis Pasteur, Rudolf Virchow, Friedrich Loeffler, and Friedrich Schwabe. “These pioneers remind us that One Health is not new — it has always been with us,” he said. One Health University Network As a former lead of the One Health University Network, Chancellor Tee emphasized the role of education, research, and extension in advancing One Health. He cited the One Health Joint Action Plan, which has six tracks: enhancing capacity, reducing risks, controlling and eliminating zoonoses, strengthening surveillance, curbing antimicrobial resistance, and integrating the environment into health strategies. “If you cross-reference this with our National Unified Health Research Agenda, you will see there is much we can address, because with the One Health approach these are all important factors,” he said. He also introduced the One Health Competency Framework, which he described as a progression from beginner to expert. At the basic level, learners understand the history and meaning of One Health; with experience, they apply it in specific contexts; and at the highest level, experts integrate it to build stronger health systems responsive to local and global challenges. “You are all experts in your own fields. But it is in applying the One Health approach together that we will succeed in closing the gaps,” he reminded the audience. He highlighted available resources such as the One Health Workforce Academy, developed by the Southeast Asian One Health University Network and USAID, which provides open-access learning for collaboration and capacity-building. At the UP College of Public Health, these efforts are expanded through the Philippine One Health University Network (PhilOHUN), extending learning beyond classrooms into communities. He also cited initiatives that empower Filipino educators to integrate One Health into schools, with webinars showing improvements in awareness and practices. Aside from this, he also showcased research collaborations, including bibliometric studies mapping One Health publications and the LawaPH project for leptospirosis prevention. He urged the development of innovative, community-based surveillance systems and the empowerment of barangay health workers as “One Health Workforces.” Targeting health promotion toward key influencers was another of his recommendations: “Your target may be the teacher, your target may be the mother. You have to educate the one who has the power to influence action.” Vision Sharing his vision for the future, Chancellor Tee spoke of his dream, “One Health workforce.” “Maybe it’s not only people,” he said. “Maybe it is also technology and working hand in hand with the individual, the community, and the system. Together, they can achieve better health outcomes.” In closing, he reminded the audience that “health equity is a commitment, and One Health gives us the blueprint.” He urged scientists and universities to break silos, expand research anchored on the National Unified Health Research Agenda, and engage with government and communities. “Because with One Health,” he concluded, “we realize that this is true… as we expand our education, research, and publication, we will improve value and serve the people we intend to serve.”# #FP6 #AccessibleUPLeadership