Finance Secretary Frederick Go signed the JPY119.745-billion financing agreement on behalf of the government to support the Build Universal Health Care Program–Subprogram 3 (BUHC3).
Three areas
The program will support reforms in three areas: sustainable financing and strategic purchasing for universal health care, integrated delivery of quality health services, and information management and performance accountability.
It will also support measures addressing gender-specific health concerns and the health effects of climate change as the government seeks to make the health system more resilient to emerging risks.
“By signing this agreement, we are making a long-term investment in the country’s human capital and resilience,” Go said.
“With the support of our development partners, we can advance reforms that will build a stronger, more responsive health system, and better equip it to serve Filipinos,” he added.
Building on reforms
BUHC3 builds on the first two subprograms and uses a programmatic approach to support the implementation of health policy reforms at the national and local levels.
The Department of Health and Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) will implement the program.
The latest financing is intended to help sustain reforms aimed at expanding Filipinos’ access to quality health services while improving how health resources are financed, managed and monitored.
The government has been pursuing universal health care reforms aimed at improving access to services while strengthening coordination among national agencies, local governments and health care providers. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
