Stressing that Universal Health Care will only work if health workers unite beyond policy and prescriptions, the Department of Health (DOH) is focusing on the bayanihan spirit while placing pharmacists at the center of it to truly empower Universal Health Care (UHC) across the country.
According to health secretary Teodoro ‘Ted’ Herbosa, “kalinga—the deep commitment to patient care—will always be at the heart of what should be done” whilst the Filipino tradition of ‘bayanihan’ carries the health department forward “in uniting efforts to build a stronger, more responsive healthcare system.”
At the Philippine Pharmacists Association National Convention 2026, DOH-Ilocos regional director Paula Paz Sydiongco stressed that the future of healthcare hinges on collaboration, innovation and patient-centered care with pharmacists leading the charge.
“Once viewed mainly as medicine dispensers, pharmacists across Ilocos Region and nationwide are now frontliners in primary care, educators on rational drug use, and defenders of patient safety and disease prevention,” Sydiongco pointed out.
She added that under the UHC framework, pharmacists serve as the critical bridge connecting the Department of Health, PhilHealth and local government units in their role of making sure healthcare access is meant to give access to safe, effective and affordable medicines.
She noted that as of the moment, programs like PhilHealth’s outpatient drug benefits are already cutting out-of-pocket costs and improving treatment outcomes for most Filipino families.
In ending and in one significant aspect, the Ilocos health chief raised the alarm on antimicrobial resistance, calling on pharmacists to lead antimicrobial stewardship by dispensing antibiotics responsibly and only when needed.
“Every act of responsible dispensing, every patient counseled, and every unnecessary antibiotic avoided is a step toward safeguarding the health of future generations,” she stressef to underscore that “pharmacists are no longer at the sidelines of healthcare (and instead) are at its core (because) they are not just providers (but) are leaders, collaborators and champions of public health.”
“In the Bagong Pilipinas, every life matters. And with our pharmacists at the frontlines, we are closer to a future where quality healthcare is within reach for every Filipino,” Sydiongco concluded.