The Department of Health (DOH) is shifting its priorities to the delivery of primary health care at the community level by intensifying its PuroKalusugan program and opening Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) centers in more underserved areas throughout the country.
“I’d like to share with you our priorities at the DOH. We are championing primary health care at the Purok level… we are changing directions; we are opening the BUCAS centers in various parts of the Philippines,” Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in his address at the recently held Unilab Foundation Partners’ Night at the Novotel Araneta Center.
Herbosa told a crowd of health and academic professionals, civil society leaders, and local government officials that the DOH has accelerated the establishment of BUCAS centers in partnership with the private sector.
“When I started last year, we said we will build 28 BUCAS centers for the 28 million poorest Filipinos by 2028. Nine months later, I have 46 BUCAS centers all over the country, all being led by our medical center chiefs, without putting out money because it was the money from the fiscal autonomy,” he said.
The BUCAS centers complement the PuroKalusugan program where barangay health workers and purok leaders are conducting house-to-house visits, identifying individuals who need medical care, immunizations, and follow-up checkups. The DOH said the approach ensures that infants receive vaccinations, seniors get proper medications, and people with chronic illnesses receive ongoing medical attention.
Herbosa said that on the finance side, the DOH continues to increase all the Philhealth benefit packages, including the acute myocardial infraction package and dialysis, which is now at P6,350 per session for 156 sessions/year from the previous P2,500 per session.
These, the Health chief stressed, can be more successful with the collaboration of the private sector, particularly citing the Unilab Center for Health Policy (UCHP) for their “strong partnership with the Department of Health.”
“Your work on research, policy, and innovation has complemented our efforts to bring UHC (Universal Health Care) to a tangible reality for every Filipino. Your commitment to undertake bold, essential initiatives, such as the establishment of the One Hospital Command Center and the patient navigation system in the National Capital Region, is both commendable and deeply valued,” he said.
“These initiatives reflect the kind of thinking we need: strategic systems thinking rooted in real-world needs. I’m very glad the Unilab Center for Health Policy is also working alongside the Philippine College of Emergency Medicine and other institutions to bring these ideas to life.”
The enhanced patient navigation system will include real-time data utilization, centralization, strengthened coordination, and improved staff capabilities. It will ensure that Filipinos receive timely access to the necessary medical services. The initial step is developing a comprehensive roadmap aligned with the DOH guidelines and the Universal Health Care Integration System (UHCIS).
“As Secretary of Health, I’m constantly reminded that strengthening the health system is not something the Government can do alone. It takes all of us working across sectors, sharing knowledge, and aligning our goals to make health for all a reality,” Herbosa said.
“This evening is not merely a celebration of the partners’ accomplishments but a tribute to the power of partnership; it is an opportunity to recognize the individuals and institutions that demonstrate each day that meaningful collaboration between the public and private sectors is not only feasible but transformative.”