Unilab Foundation, ULAP join forces to accelerate local implementation of universal healthcare

The Unilab Foundation, through its research and policy arm Unilab Center for Health Policy (UCHP), has partnered with the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) to jointly identify and address barriers to the effective and accelerated implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act at the local level.

Formalized with the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), the partnership will tackle fragmented policies, processes, proficiencies, and systems hindering the ability of local government units (LGUs) to implement UHC reforms. This is aligned with the mandate to empower LGUs so that the devolution of the healthcare delivery function from the national government does not lead to the inconsistent implementation of health services across different localities.

UCHP and ULAP will also pilot programs in selected LGUs to demonstrate the practical implementation of UHC at the local level, with the intent of using lessons from the ground to inform national policy, and of replicating best practices in more areas.

“[This MoU] reflects our shared understanding that Universal Health Care is ultimately realized when governance meets execution which is at the local level, and that this cannot be done by government alone. We need the support of all stakeholders,” said ULAP National President and Quirino Governor Dakila Carlo “Dax” Cua.

“Many challenges we face today are structural and systemic. No single institution can address problems in isolation. This is why partnerships matter. We are hopeful that this partnership will continue to grow, expanding from policy and systems, strengthening toward deeper collaboration and service delivery models, innovation, and efforts that deliberately reach the unreached and underserved Filipino, particularly in communities where access to quality healthcare remains most fragile,” he added.

For his part, Unilab Foundation Executive Director Atty. Jose Maria Ochave said UCHP’s role is to partner with government leaders to help them achieve their vision for their constituents.

“Our role is to show that certain things can work and can be implemented. But the ones who can really move the needle is still government. The ones who can move the needle the most in the coming years will be the local government because that is where governance is felt the most by the people,” he said.

The UCHP is a program of the Unilab Foundation that empowers LGUs to become self-reliant and successful implementers of UHC by supporting policy development, enabling evidence-based decision-making, and providing holistic technical assistance that strengthens local execution.

Recently, the UCHP commissioned a study which found that a large portion of local health budgets goes to personnel salaries, leaving little funds for actual health programs and services. The study was lauded by the Department of Budget and Management as a valuable tool in its campaign to maximize local resources.

UCHP also recently partnered with the local government of Ormoc City to develop and implement a UHC-aligned primary care service delivery framework for geographically isolated and disadvantaged communities.