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Lack of self-care has strongly been associated with stress and burnout among nurse educators. It has long been a silent battle as they struggle with academia, clinical practice, and research. Challenges identified that contribute to lack of self-care are heavy workloads, limited facilities for instruction, lack of support for professional advancement, and limited self-care facilities. In support of the Alma Ata declaration in empowering and assisting individuals to obtain knowledge, skills, and resources to preserve health, this paper advocates the need to foster and establish a self-care culture for nurse educators in the Philippines through the Reflect, Recharge, Revive Program. The program framework of Reflect through self-assessment and self-reflection, Recharge through self-care education and training, and Revive for sustainability are collected from various programs already used by some nursing schools that have been proven effective in their respective organizations. Its integration into the current policies and guidelines, including policy frameworks of nursing institutions, will help address stress and burnout associated with a lack of self-care among nurse educators. As a healthy policy, it is believed to positively affect nursing education, especially in decreasing faculty turnover and increasing job performance and self-fulfillment in teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to examine key obligations of states to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) under the right to health framework in the context of COVID-19. As a case study, it also describes the state of health in places of detention in the Philippines during the pandemic, with an end view of providing granular recommendations for prison policy reforms. Design/methodology/approach: Relevant rules under international human rights law related to places of detention were thematically analyzed to articulate the scope of the right to health of PDLs. To describe the state of places of detention in the Philippines, this paper relied on archival research of news from selected local mainstream and specialized media. Findings: The right to health framework provides a foundation for the response to COVID-19 in places of detention. Key concerns include increase in the number of infections, vulnerabilities in physical and mental health, and the spread of infection among correctional staff. Long-standing structural constraints and limited health information compound the threat of COVID-19. The Philippines must comply with its human rights obligations to PDLs to effectively address COVID-19-related concerns. Practical implications: Policy reforms in Philippine places of detention must include application of community standards on physical and mental health, implementation of emergency release and application of non-custodial measures for long-term prison decongestion. Originality/value: This is one of the few papers to analyze human rights in health care in places of detention during a pandemic, as nuanced in the context of the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that public addresses of heads of state are critical for public health policy during pandemics. Drawing insights from studies that investigate metaphors and frames in political and public health discourses, it explores how the Philippine government, especially President Rodrigo Duterte, framed COVID-19. In doing so, it hopes to broaden the understanding of how political rhetoric may be constitutive of public health policy. The analysis of the public addresses entailed three interrelated levels: (1) a description of broad historical, social, political, and cultural contexts of public addresses under investigation, (2) an explanation of the communicative situation including the production and consumption of these addresses—processes that mediate between the text and context, and (3) a textual analysis, which substantiates how the discursive patterns are realized through the president's rhetorical choices. Our analysis reveals that the president consistently deployed the rhetorical strategies of (1) enemization, (2) legitimization of the incumbent administration, and (3) dismissal of critics. The configuration of these strategies sustains a binaristic discourse structure that lays blame on a political other while the government asserts its legitimacy during a public health crisis. These rhetorical strategies organize support for public health policy by a populist administration to manage COVID-19. Implications of political rhetoric to public health and risk communication are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interplay between devolution, health financing and public financial management processes in health-or the lack of coherence between them-can have profound implications for a country's progress towards universal health coverage. This paper explores this relationship in seven Asian and African countries (Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Uganda, Indonesia and the Philippines), highlighting challenges and suggesting policy solutions. First, subnational governments rely heavily on transfers from central governments, and most are not required to allocate a minimum share of their budget to health. Central governments channelling more funds to subnational governments through conditional grants is a promising way to increase public financing for health. Second, devolution makes it difficult to pool funding across populations by fragmenting them geographically. Greater fiscal equalisation through improved revenue sharing arrangements and, where applicable, using budgetary funds to subsidise the poor in government-financed health insurance schemes could bridge the gap. Third, weak budget planning across levels could be improved by aligning budget structures, building subnational budgeting capacity and strengthening coordination across levels. Fourth, delays in central transfers and complicated procedures for approvals and disbursements stymie expenditure management at subnational levels. Simplifying processes and enhancing visibility over funding flows, including through digitalised information systems, promise to improve expenditure management and oversight in health. Fifth, subnational governments purchase services primarily through line-item budgets. Shifting to practices that link financial allocations with population health needs and facility performance, combined with reforms to grant commensurate autonomy to facilities, has the potential to enable more strategic purchasing., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© World Health Organization 2024. Licensee BMJ.)

Understanding people's concepts of illness and health is key to crafting policies and communications campaigns to address a particular medical concern. This paper gathers cultural knowledge on infectious disease causation, prevention, and treatment the Philippines that are particularly relevant for the COVID-19 pandemic, and analyzes their implications for public health. This paper draws from ethnographic work (e.g. participant observation, interviews, conversations, virtual ethnography) carried out individually by each of the two authors from February to September 2020. The data was analyzed in relation to the anthropological literature on local health knowledge in the Philippines. We find that notions of hawa (contagion) and resistensiya (immunity) inform people's views of illness causation as well as their preventive practices - including the use of face masks and 'vitamins' and other pharmaceuticals, as well as the ways in which they negotiate prescriptions of face mask use and physical distancing. These perceptions and practices go beyond biomedical knowledge and are continuously being shaped by people's everyday experiences and circulations of knowledge in traditional and social media. Our study reveals that people's novel practices reflect recurrent, familiar, and long-held concepts - such as the moral undertones of hawa and experimentation inherent in resistensiya. Policies and communications efforts should acknowledge and anticipate how these notions may serve as either barriers or facilitators to participatory care and improved health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malnutrition remains a public health burden in the Philippines, with the country struggling to meet global nutrition targets. Objective: This study aims to review the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) and its progress in addressing malnutrition in the Philippines. Methods: A narrative literature review of the PPAN and its implementation from 1974 to 2022 was conducted, including an analysis of relevant data on the nutrition status and programs for Filipinos. Results: The study found that the PPAN has been largely supportive in addressing malnutrition in the Philippines over the years. However, obstacles hindering the achievement of its nutrition-related goals have been identified. Challenges include inadequate coordination of programs at the local level, concerns regarding data quality, and insufficient training of personnel involved in implementing the PPAN. The results also indicate that the country has made limited progress toward achieving the global nutrition targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Conclusion: This study highlights the need to revisit and refine the PPAN to respond to the changing nature of malnutrition in the country. Recommendations to address the remaining gaps in the planning, implementing, and monitoring of the PPAN are discussed. Finally, the paper offers some valuable insights from the experiences of the PPAN that can be applied to other countries facing comparable nutrition contexts. Plain language title: Understanding the Evolution of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition Plain language summary: This study is a review of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN), which is a comprehensive plan initiated in 1974 to address nutritional issues in the Philippines. The study looks at how the PPAN has been implemented over the years and its effectiveness in addressing malnutrition. It also discusses challenges and issues with the PPAN, such as compliance problems at the village level, and the need for stronger political will and context-specific approaches. Additionally, the study provides recommendations for the next iterations of the PPAN in order to achieve sustainable nutrition outcomes, as well as lessons learned for other countries facing similar nutrition problems. Overall, this study highlights the need to reexamine and adapt the PPAN in order to effectively address the changing nature of malnutrition in the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When an increasing number of cases strained the country's healthcare system, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the Philippines' workforce vulnerabilities even further. The Philippine government responded by imposing a deployment ban for healthcare workers going abroad in 2020, followed by a deployment cap in 2021. This paper focused on the policy development stage, specifically analyzing the factors that influenced the development of the deployment cap to address the Philippines' problem on healthcare worker shortage. Various sources of information were gathered by conducting a literature and document review, including local main news sources, published literature, government records, organizational documents, position statements, and social media posts from key interest groups such as professional groups and civil servants. The 3I+E (Institutions, Interests, Ideas and External Factors) Framework was used to analyze the factors influencing the policy formulation/development process. Although worker migration has long been accepted as a means of economic salvation for families in the Philippine labor culture, during the COVID-19 crisis, it was viewed as a significant factor and controlling it appeared to be a viable solution to keeping an adequate number of healthcare workers in the country. The deployment cap policy can be viewed as a decision to strike a balance between workforce availability and economic disruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic disease is rapidly becoming a greater burden in the world and the leading cause of mortality because of epidemiological transformation. Diabetes is one; with 6.7 million deaths registered in 2021. In the Philippines, a report by the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) projects the number of patients with Diabetes in 2030 to reach 5.4 million and 7.5 million by 2045. Diabetes treatment in the Philippines is poor and challenging in terms of resources, government support, and economy. The national health insurance system does not have comprehensive diabetes care coverage and private insurance companies offer limited diabetes coverage. As a result, patients rely on "out-of-pocket" expenses for their laboratory testing and medications, and consequently, nonadherence to therapy. There is a need for an intervention in diabetes care management as Diabetes Mellitus (DM) prevalence posts an upward trend. This paper recommends the following policy statements to strengthen DM care management in a comprehensive, integrated, and coordinated nurse-led care system through "3Rs": "Reactivating" the health promotion activities; "Rephrasing" the existing care provisions; and "Re-establishing" care models that will boost the DM management care among the Filipinos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This correspondence responds to a recently published editorial by highlighting the interconnectedness of science, policy, politics and activism in addressing the escalating heat index in the Philippines. It underlines the importance of a complete strategy that incorporates scientific information into evidence-based policy, navigates the political environment and encourages grassroots activity to address the complex effects of extreme heat on public health. This paper highlights the necessity of multidisciplinary collaboration among stakeholders in developing effective measures for minimizing the negative health consequences of rising temperatures while also promoting climate resilience and health justice in the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses the vocabulary of 'medical populism' to identify and analyse the political constructions of (and responses to) the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, the Philippines, and the United States from January to mid-July 2020, particularly by the countries' heads of state: Jair Bolsonaro, Rodrigo Duterte, and Donald Trump. In all three countries, the leaders' responses to the outbreak can be characterised by the following features: simplifying the pandemic by downplaying its impacts or touting easy solutions or treatments, spectacularizing their responses to crisis, forging divisions between the 'people' and dangerous 'others', and making medical knowledge claims to support the above. Taken together, the case studies illuminate the role of individual political actors in defining public health crises, suggesting that medical populism is not an exceptional, but a familiar response to them. This paper concludes by offering recommendations for global health in anticipating and responding to pandemics and infectious disease outbreaks.

Various factors have been implicated in vaccine hesitancy and loss of vaccine confidence, but the specific ways and particular moments in which immunisation programmes and vaccine scares are politicised, exacerbating negative attitudes about vaccines and leading to retrogressive policies, have been relatively under-examined. This paper applies the concept of 'medical populism' [Lasco, G., & Curato, N. (2019). Medical populism. Social Science & Medicine , 221 (1), 1-8. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.12.006] to examine these under-studied dynamics, looking at political actors and how they 'construct antagonistic relations between "the people" whose lives have been put at risk by "the establishment"' in the performance of vaccine-related crises. Four illustrative cases - from Nigeria, Italy, Ukraine, and the Philippines - are presented to demonstrate the descriptive and analytic value of medical populism beyond the framing and characterisation of the politics of health. The study underscores the need to understand people's perceptions and 'explanatory models' of vaccines and vaccine failures, to look at the political milieux that underpin immunisation programmes, and to anticipate and address knowledge claims made by political actors.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic warrants an immediate response. Persons with disabilities (PWDs) are one of the most vulnerable populations susceptible to marginalization. While there are existing guidelines in the Philippines that aim to assist their basic needs, a call for inclusivity in policymaking for the COVID-19 response is highly advocated. This paper aims to analyze existing policy guidelines concerning the welfare of PWDs in the country based on several policy domains. Methods: Relevant documents were acquired through extensive search of government and nongovernment websites and news agencies. Literature included memorandums, circulars, and news bulletins in the period between January 2020 to May 2021. This study conducted a framework analysis on policies enacted by the Philippine government during the COVID-19 pandemic concerning PWDs. The framework was divided into eight areas: access to (1) information, (2) healthcare, (3) education, and (4) financial support, (5) protection from infection in residential settings, (6) reasonable accommodation, (7) consideration for disabled people facing multiple exclusions, and (8) inclusion to decision-making process. Results: Fifteen PWD related COVID-19 response documents from the Philippines were reviewed and analyzed. Most policies corresponded to themes related to financial support and reasonable accommodations. Most documents were limited to proposals and suggestions with only a few documents including specific details on how the program will be implemented and monitored. Conclusion: The state has proven its cognizance for PWDs; however, implementation and its impact remain to be seen. The government needs to evaluate these efforts to identify gaps and barriers. A comprehensive national database should be implemented to centralize registration of PWDs, and efforts should be made to inform and educate PWDs of their rights and of existing programs. Most importantly, PWDs should be included in the discourse and decision-making process to ensure programs are acceptable and accessible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Western urban areas have seen substantive decreases in new diagnoses of HIV infection. This paper explores whether such declines are present among MSM and transgender women (TGW) in Southeast Asia and discusses implications for HIV policies and programming. A scoping review was conducted of scientific publications and selected documents regarding the spread of HIV infection among MSM and TGW in major urban centres of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. Continued high HIV prevalence and incidence among MSM are found in integrated behavioural and biological surveillance (IBBS) and research studies. HIV prevalence among MSM under IBBS decreased only in Bangkok from 28.6% in 2014 to 10.3% in 2018, whereas it was increasing in Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Vientiane, and Phnom Penh. HIV/AIDS case reports regarding new HIV infection diagnoses among MSM have started to decrease in Singapore since 2011 and have been plateauing in Metropolitan Manila since 2017. Where data were available, it was found that HIV prevalence among TGW was high and if IBBS was conducted, it was increasing. HIV prevalence among TGW under IBBS in Jakarta had risen to 34.0% (2015) and 14.0% (2019) in Phnom Penh. These findings suggest that most ASEAN member states have so far failed to effectively implement and scale-up scientifically proven biomedical HIV prevention measures and counter stigma and discrimination that impedes access to appropriate HIV prevention and treatment services for MSM and TGW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper highlights the important role of health literacy during the COVID-19 pandemic, including how information professionals can help equip Filipinos with sufficient health literacy to protect them from similar global health crises in the future. While so much needs to be done to improve health literacy education, the author advocates for a greater research culture among information professionals (and students) so that we can generate locally made insights to influence health literacy policy, education, and research in the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Philippines suffers frequent typhoons every year hence the country is susceptible to experience disastrous flooding. This extreme event causes various effects in the community specifically infrastructural and social system damages. Flooding also causes numerous health effects that deteriorate the wellbeing of the affected population. Iligan City is known to be an area prone to flooding in the Philippines. This paper examines the state of health of communities affected by flooding occurrences through knowledge and preparedness, health impacts, and emergency response of various state actors during and after flooding incidents. Data were collected through an analysis of different documents, key informant interviews, and focus groups in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro. Results show data from various sources and narratives regarding the degree of preparedness before the flood among community members. During the flooding occurrence, different community damages were mentioned. Due to the destructive nature of floods, community members also stated different health impacts whether immediate, short term, or long term. After the flood, different emergency response and relief were provided. However, citizens and community also cited difficulties about the provision of relief and health care. This study can be used for initiatives in reducing risks and vulnerability in floods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2016, the Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health initiative assisted the Philippine Statistical Authority in implementing Iris, an automated coding software program that enables medical death certificates to be coded according to international standards. Iris was implemented to improve the quality, timeliness, and consistency of coded data as part of broader activities to strengthen the country's civil registration and vital statistics system. This study was conducted as part of the routine implementation of Iris to ensure that automatically coded cause of death data was of sufficient quality to be released and disseminated as national mortality statistics. Data from medical death certificates coded with Iris between 2017 and 2019 were analysed and evaluated for apparent errors and inconsistencies, and trends were examined for plausibility. Cause-specific mortality distributions were calculated for each of the 3 years and compared for consistency, and annual numeric and percentage changes were calculated and compared for all age groups. The typology, reasons, and proportions of records that could not be coded (Iris 'rejects') were also studied. Overall, the study found that the Philippine Statistical Authority successfully operates Iris. The cause-specific mortality fractions for the 20 leading causes of death showed reassuring stability after the introduction of Iris, and the type and proportion of rejects were similar to international experience. Broadly, this study demonstrates how an automated coding system can improve the accuracy and timeliness of cause of death data—providing critical country experiences to help build the evidence base on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between state policies, religion, reproductive politics, and competing understandings of embodied sexual and reproductive morality. Using ethnographic and life history interviews, this study looks at the lives of Filipino urban poor women and how they interpret, follow and resist Catholic Church doctrines and practices as these relate to sexuality and reproduction. Taking everyday morality as embedded in social practice, this paper argues that women’s subjective reinterpretations of Catholic teachings regarding contraception and abortion render religion pliant in a way that restores moral equilibrium in women’s lives. It is in this process of adjusting and re-adjusting this moral order that women are able to construct their moral worlds. Further, this article investigates how social class, gender and religion work in tension with one another in women’s everyday decisions and how the constraints and opportunities that poor women encounter in their everyday lives are enabled by the state and its institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Various terms were used to refer to people who use drugs during Duterte's drug war. • These terms pervade policy documents, bills, laws, memoranda and other official texts. • Examples include 'drug user', 'drug dependent', 'drug personality', and 'drug abuser'. • All these terms contributed to the problematization of people who use drugs. This paper examines the political constructions of people who use drugs in the Philippines throughout the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte (2016–2022), during which the government engaged in a 'war on drugs' and promoted a punitive drug regime. Building on and drawing inspiration from the global drug policy scholarship that has looked at the ways in which drugs are framed and problematised in various domains, this study used qualitative content analysis to review 96 documents from national government agencies - including strategic action plans, directives, memorandums, guidelines, annual reports, and legislative measures. Foremost, the study finds that various terms were interchangeably used to refer to 'drug users' - dependent, offender, personality, abuser - and all of them contributed to the problematisation of people who use drugs as a societal "menace". As "drug dependents", they were likewise portrayed as necessitating treatment or rehabilitation. Moreover, presented as victims or passive subjects, their agency and subjectivity are not acknowledged in the documents, even as counter-discourses, mainly from opposition lawmakers, challenge these portrayals and call for people-centered, harm reduction approaches. Overall, these overlapping framings cast people who use drugs simultaneously as victims, criminals, deviants, and sick individuals to the detriment of their security, health, and well-being - and to the retrogression of drug policy in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses COVID-19 vaccination rollout strategies developed and disseminated the World Health Organization referencing recent correspondence of Cordero. Topics discussed include role of government in COVID-19 vaccines procurement and rollout which is to be proactive, transparent and efficient; analyzes the urgent need to harness the Philippine government's strategic policy-making; and efficient implementation of COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Philippines.

Background: Should health systems invest more in access to care by expanding insurance coverage or in health care services including improving the quality of care? Comparing these options experimentally would shed light on the impact and cost-effectiveness of these strategies.Methods: The Quality Improvement Demonstration Study (QIDS) was a randomized policy experiment conducted across 30 districts in the Philippines. The study had a control group and two policy intervention groups intended to improve the health of young children. The demand-side intervention in QIDS was universal health insurance coverage (UHC) for children aged 5 years or younger, and a supply-side intervention, a pay-for-performance (P4P) bonus for all providers who met pre-determined quality levels. In this paper, we compare the impacts of these policies from the QIDS experiment on childhood wasting by calculating DALYs averted per US$spent.Results: The direct per capita costs to implement UHC and P4P are US$4.08 and US$1.98 higher, respectively, compared to control. DALYs due to wasting were reduced by 334,862 in UHC and 1,073,185 in P4P. When adjustments are made for the efficiency of higher quality, the DALYS averted per US$ spent is similar in the two arms, 1.56 and 1.58 for UHC and P4P, respectively. Since the P4P quality improvements touches all patients seen by qualifying providers (32% in UHC versus 100% in P4P), there is a larger reduction in DALYs. With similar programmatic costs for either intervention, in this study, each US$spent under P4P yielded 1.52 DALYs averted compared to the standard program, while UHC yielded only a 0.50 DALY reduction.Conclusion: P4P had a greater impact and was more cost-effective compared to UHC as measured by DALYs averted. While expanded insurance benefit ceilings affected only those who are covered, P4P incentivizes practice quality improvement regardless of whether children are insured or uninsured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dramatic increases in the migration of human resources for health (HRH) from developing countries like the Philippines can have consequences on the sustainability of health systems. In this paper, we trace the outflows of HRH from the Philippines, map out its key causes and consequences, and identify relevant policy responses.Methods: This mixed method study employed a decentered, comparative approach that involved three phases: (a) a scoping review on health workers' migration of relevant policy documents and academic literature on health workers' migration from the Philippines; and primary data collection with (b) 37 key stakeholders and (c) household surveys with seven doctors, 329 nurses, 66 midwives, and 18 physical therapists.Results: Filipino health worker migration is best understood within the context of macro-, meso-, and micro-level factors that are situated within the political, economic, and historical/colonial legacy of the country. Underfunding of the health system and un- or underemployment were push factors for migration, as were concerns for security in the Philippines, the ability to practice to full scope or to have opportunities for career advancement. The migration of health workers has both negative and positive consequences for the Philippine health system and its health workers. Stakeholders focused on issues such as on brain drain, gain, and circulation, and on opportunities for knowledge and technology transfer. Concomitantly, migration has resulted in the loss of investment in human capital. The gap in the supply of health workers has affected the quality of care delivered, especially in rural areas. The opening of overseas opportunities has commercialized health education, compromised its quality, and stripped the country of skilled learning facilitators. The social cost of migration has affected émigrés and their families. At the household level, migration has engendered increased consumerism and materialism and fostered dependency on overseas remittances. Addressing these gaps requires time and resources. At the same time, migration is, however, seen by some as an opportunity for professional growth and enhancement, and as a window for drafting more effective national and inter-country policy responses to HRH mobility.Conclusions: Unless socioeconomic conditions are improved and health professionals are provided with better incentives, staying in the Philippines will not be a viable option. The massive expansion in education and training designed specifically for outmigration creates a domestic supply of health workers who cannot be absorbed by a system that is underfunded. This results in a paradox of underservice, especially in rural and remote areas, at the same time as underemployment and outmigration. Policy responses to this paradox have not yet been appropriately aligned to capture the multilayered and complex nature of these intersecting phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The freelance economy has seen rapid growth worldwide in recent years and the Philippines is not an exception. Freelance workers are becoming increasingly common in healthcare and research. Early career researchers carry out most of scientific research and can play a critical role in advancing public health by bringing new perspectives and diversity to the field. Existing literature has mostly focused on the experiences of early career researchers in an institutional academic setting. This study aimed to understand the experiences of freelance early career researchers in the health policy and systems space in the Philippines. Methods: This qualitative study collected data from 18 to 22 March 2022 through virtual interview and focus group discussions. Themes and codes were created based on the topic guide developed. New themes and codes were generated as they emerged. Two researchers coded the data using both a priori and emergent codes. Any coding conflicts were resolved through discussions until intercoder agreement was reached. Interpretation and conclusions from the data were developed by 2 researchers with consideration for its context and relationship between themes. Results: Fifteen current and former freelance researchers participated in the study. Most are female, under 35 years old, and with an undergraduate degree as the highest educational attainment. The findings highlight insights and challenges faced by early career researchers in aspects of: (1) work arrangement, (2) tasks, (3) expectations from senior researchers, (4) development in the health policy and systems field, (5) relationship with peers, and (6) motivations for continuing to work as a freelance health policy and systems researcher. Conclusion: This study reveals the challenges freelance early career researchers face, highlighting the need for enhanced support and recognition amidst rapidly evolving workforce demands and complex health dilemmas. Recommendations include structured mentorship, professional development, innovative funding models, and the establishment of a supportive network. Advocacy for policies ensuring freelancer inclusion in the economy and policy-making is crucial. Future research should investigate their experiences further, including their roles, transitions, and the impacts of funding trends, to foster their development and integration into public health research and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women play a crucial role in the care and response to the COVID-19 pandemic, whether in paid or unpaid work. This article looks into the lived experience of some of these women infected by COVID-19 while doing their job as care providers. We selected nine women from Cebu City, Philippines. We presented their lived experience through van Manen's phenomenology of practice. Themes of the lived experience reveal pain and separation, suffering and caring, stigma of discrimination, caring response, and supportive relationship in the midst of a health crisis. Our reflections reveal that even in serious vulnerability and sustained domestic burden, women remained steadfast in their caring character. Their caring attitude has turned the quarantine facility into a liveable space where empathy, reciprocity, and relationality dwell and thus help everyone survive the COVID-19 ordeal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rare diseases, also referred to as orphan diseases, are characterised by their low prevalence with majority of them are chronically debilitating and life threatening. Given the low prevalence and the widely dispersed but very small patient base for each disease, there may often be a disproportion in the availability of treatments and resources to manage patients, spur research and train experts. This is especially true in Southeast Asian countries that are currently in the process of implementing or revising their universal health coverage schemes. This paper aims to examine the status of rare disease management in Southeast Asian countries. It will serve as the basis for a more active discussion on how countries in the region can address an under-recognised rare disease burden and enhance national and regional capacities.Methods: The study consists of literature reviews and key stakeholders interviews in six focus countries, including the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand and five countries as best practice, comprising of France, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, and South Korea. Rare disease management initiatives across each country were examined based on the World Health Organization's framework for action in strengthening health systems.Results: The results suggest rare disease management remains challenging across Southeast Asia, as many of the focus countries face fundamental issues from basic healthcare systems to funding. Nonetheless, there are substantial improvement opportunities, including leveraging best practices from around the world and organising a multi-stakeholder and regional approach and strategy.Conclusions: Southeast Asian countries have made significant progress in the management of rare disease, but there remain key areas for substantial development opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) gears toward full regional integration by 2015, the cross-border mobility of workers and citizens at large is expected to further intensify in the coming years. While ASEAN member countries have already signed the Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers, the health rights of migrants still need to be addressed, especially with ongoing universal health coverage (UHC) reforms in most ASEAN countries. This paper seeks to examine the inclusion of migrants in the UHC systems of five ASEAN countries which exhibit diverse migration profiles and are currently undergoing varying stages of UHC development. Design: A scoping review of current migration trends and policies as well as ongoing UHC developments and migrant inclusion in UHC in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand was conducted. Results: In general, all five countries, whether receiving or sending, have schemes that cover migrants to varying extents. Thailand even allows undocumented migrants to opt into its Compulsory Migrant Health Insurance scheme, while Malaysia and Singapore are still yet to consider including migrants in their government-run UHC systems. In terms of predominantly sending countries, the Philippines's social health insurance provides outbound migrants with portable insurance yet with limited benefits, while Indonesia still needs to strengthen the implementation of its compulsory migrant insurance which has a health insurance component. Overall, the five ASEAN countries continue to face implementation challenges, and will need to improve on their UHC design in order to ensure genuine inclusion of migrants, including undocumented migrants. However, such reforms will require strong political decisions from agencies outside the health sector that govern migration and labor policies. Furthermore, countries must engage in multilateral and bilateral dialogue as they redefine UHC beyond the basis of citizenship and reimagine UHC systems that transcend national borders. Conclusions: By enhancing migrant coverage, ASEAN countries can make UHC systems truly 'universal'. Migrant inclusion in UHC is a human rights imperative, and it is in ASEAN's best interest to protect the health of migrants as it pursues the path toward collective social progress and regional economic prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health policy and systems research (HPSR) has influenced Philippine policies, including tobacco control, mental health, and COVID-19. The Department of Health (DOH) Philippines and Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) launched the Advancing Health through Evidence-Assisted Decisions (AHEAD) with HPSR program in 2017, aiming to build a community of researchers and decision-makers committed to evidence production and utilization. Research systems employ grant management processes for transparency and accountability in research funding, preventing waste, fraud, and misuse of funds. Methods: This study evaluated AHEAD-HPSR's grant management using surveys, interviews, and focus groups to document (1) grant administration processes implemented by DOH and PCHRD, and (2) experiences of grantees, program managers, staff, and policymakers. Data were initially analyzed through the USA Grant Accountability Office's Federal Grant Life Cycle, with new themes created as they emerged. The study identified processes and gaps in the research grant life cycle stages: design/redesign, pre-award, award, implementation, closeout, and research dissemination and utilization. Results: Identification of research areas for the grant are identified using national and departmental research priorities. While Calls for Proposals are posted publicly, researchers that have previously worked with policymakers are contacted directly to submit proposals. The evaluation found that research is delayed by bureaucracies in grant administration, particularly in financial reporting and ethics review processes. Complying with the terminal financial report was identified as the most challenging part of the grant process due to immense auditing requirements. Grantees recommend the simplification of bureaucracy for fund release to enable them to focus on research work. Conclusion: This study contributes to the limited literature on health research grant management in developing countries. Valuable information and recommendations were contributed by stakeholders in this evaluation. These are manifestations of a continuing interest and desire to make health policy and systems research in the Philippines more robust and relevant. It is imperative for the program to continually evolve and build systems most applicable to its multidisciplinary context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence is mounting that the ultra - processed food industry seeks to influence food and nutrition policies in ways that support market growth and protect against regulatory threats, often at the expense of public health. However, few studies have explored how this occurs in lower - middle income countries. We aimed to explore if and how the ultra - processed food industry seeks to influence food- and nutrition - related policy processes in the Philippines, a lower - middle income country in East Asia. Methods: Semi - structured key informant interviews were conducted with ten representatives from the Philippines government and non - government organisations closely involved with nutrition policy making in the Philippines. Interview schedules and data analysis were guided by the policy dystopia model, which we used to identify the instrumental and discursive strategies used by corporate actors to influence policy outcomes. Results: Informants were of the view that ultra - processed food companies in the Philippines sought to delay, prevent, water - down and circumvent implementation of globally recommended food and nutrition policies by engaging in a range of strategies. Discursive strategies included various tactics in which globally recommended policies were framed as being ineffective or highlighting potential unintended negative impacts. Instrumental strategies included: directly engaging with policymakers; promoting policies, such as industry - led codes and practices, as substitutes for mandatory regulations; presenting evidence and data that industry has generated themselves; and offering gifts and financial incentives to government individuals and agencies. Conclusions: In the Philippines, the ultra - processed food industry engaged in overt activities designed to influence food and nutrition policy processes in their favour. A range of measures to minimise industry influence on policy processes should be introduced, to ensure that implemented food and nutrition policies align with best practice recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To review how nursing is engaged with genetics/genomics developments in the Philippines' healthcare system. Background: There is an increasing demand for genetics services. However, the number of genetics professionals is lagging with this demand. Nurses play pivotal roles in mainstreaming genetics/genomics across healthcare settings. Sources of evidence: Published and gray literature on genetics/genomics services in the Philippines and roles of nurses and the experiences of the authors. Discussion: Nurses involved in genetics in the Philippines work in specialty genetics clinics and in newborn screening (NBS). Several issues hinder maximizing roles of nurses in genetics, such as the absence of competency standards, inadequate educational preparation, absence of a specialty organization, and increased workload of nurses. Conclusion: The engagement of nursing with genetics/genomics is limited. Increasing awareness on the impact of nursing in genetics/genomics, adopting competency standards, and curricular integration are key if nurses' roles in genetic healthcare are to be realized. Implications for nursing practice: Introducing genetics/genomics systematically in practice environments is crucial. Tools such as the Method for Introducing New Competency Genomics can be used as a guide. Existing population‐based genetics programs such as NBS and rare disease offer a good context to introduce genetics in existing courses in the curriculum. Implications for nursing policy: Nursing leaders need to be aware and recognize the relationship between nursing and genetics/genomics. A local specialty group in genetics and collaboration with international organizations are crucial to advocate the inclusion of genetics/genomics in nursing. Existing genetics/genomics competency standards can be validated in the local context to inform curricular integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Socio-Economic History / Shakai-Keizai Shigaku is the property of Socio-Economic History Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In a recent correspondence published in this journal, the need to prioritize healthcare workers by the government must be considered. Various negative effects were seen from non-prioritization of healthcare workers. With this, healthcare workers heed distress calls affecting their physical and mental well-being. If prioritization is given and initiatives are done, the needs of healthcare workers will be sufficed so that they will be working at maximum to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social science research has long critiqued how professional ideals of public service can ignore chronic problems within the healthcare industry, placing unfair burden on the "heroism" of individual workers. Yet, fewer studies investigate how healthcare professionals actively negotiate such demands for service, amidst increasing workplace pressures and risks. This paper studies Filipino nurses' response to a government policy that banned them from working overseas in order to channel their labor to local hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on 51 in-depth interviews, we argue that nurses' willingness to serve in the Philippines' COVID-19 hospitals hinged on the point at which the deployment ban interrupted their emigration trajectories. Specifically, nurses' decision to heed their government's call to service depended on whether they saw local hospital experience as valuable for their plans of working abroad. We introduce the concept of "clocking out" to describe how aspiring nurse migrants set limits to the time they devote to local service, as they pursue a career pathway beyond national borders. We discuss how this concept can inform scholarship on nurse retention and professional values, especially for developing nations in times of crisis. • The Philippines banned its nurses from working abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic. • Filipino nurses either resisted or complied with the call to serve in local hospitals. • Migrant nurses view local clinical experience as necessary step towards jobs abroad. • Researchers must study professionalism in the context of migration trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) has by now become a key health policy goal in many countries and some form of National Health Insurance (NHI) is often used for this. The Philippines has had more than 50 years' experience with social health insurance and in 1995 established PhilHealth, the country's national health insurer. Objectives: Analyzing the role of the Philippine NHI scheme in moving towards UHC, identifying potential avenues for improvement as well as indicating challenges and areas for further development. Methods: This paper is based on a mixed methods approach including extensive literature search, data from PhilHealth and other sources, and key informant interviews with staff at PhilHealth, health care providers, and policy experts at national and international level. Results: Major achievements were the expansion of population coverage using an earmarked revenue source ('Sin Tax'), the introduction of the no-balance-billing to prevent co-payments, and the Health Facilities Enhancement Program to improve quality. The share of PhilHealth in total health expenditures is still only 14%, managing quality and cost of providers remains insufficient, the benefit coverage does not reflect the country's burden of disease, and financial protection for PhilHealth members is low. The UHC bill would provide a massive jump forward as all Filipinos would then be automatically enrolled in and thus entitled to the benefits of PhilHealth. Conclusions: For expanding a contribution-based NHI beyond formal employment there needs to be a large increase in budget transfers to cover for citizens unable to contribute. The Philippine UHC bill shifts from the idea of contribution leading to entitlement to the idea of citizenship leading to entitlement and can thus be seen as a paradigmatic change in thinking about NHI. There are three areas that we believe are of key importance in developing further NHI: (i) governance, (ii) financial impact, and (iii) strategic purchasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccine scares undermine longstanding global health achievements. Remarkably little data has documented the lived experiences of policymakers working amidst vaccine scares and navigating their fallout. As a result, chances and challenges of large-scale national recuperation efforts are poorly understood. This study aims to explore the perspectives of policymakers involved in ongoing efforts to boost vaccine confidence in the Philippines following a 2017 Dengvaxia scare and the current COVID-19 pandemic. Between August and November 2020, we conducted 19 semi-structured narrative interviews with purposively selected policymakers from governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations in the Philippines. Interviews were conducted online, transcribed, and analyzed following the tenets of reflexive thematic analysis. We present results as an emerging model that draws on a chronology conveyed by policymakers in their own words. The Dengvaxia scare proved 'a decisive wedge' that splintered Filipino society and pitted governmental agencies against one another. The scare stoked distorted vaccination narratives, which were 'accelerated rapidly' via social media, and ignited feelings of uncertainty among policymakers of how to convey clear, accurate health messaging and how to prevent drops in care-seeking more broadly. Efforts to regain trust placed exceptional burdens on an already-strained health system. Respondent-driven recommendations on how to reinforce vaccine confidence and improve vaccination rollout include: developing clear vaccine messages, fostering healthcare providers' and policymakers' communication skills, and rebuilding trust within, toward and across governmental agencies. Further research on how to build enabling environments and rebuild trust in and across institutions remains paramount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared three types of resilience (individual, community, and national resilience), two indicators of distress (sense of danger and distress symptoms) and wellbeing, among samples from Israel, Brazil, and the Philippines, during the "first-wave" of COVID-19 pandemic. Though significant differences were found among the samples regarding all variables, similarities were also emerged. Individual resilience and wellbeing negatively predicted distress symptoms in each sample, and women of all samples reported higher level of distress-symptoms compared with men. The differences between the samples are presented and discussed. Understanding the similarities and the differences, between these cultures, may help developing efficient countermeasures tailored to each country. This knowledge may promote efficient health policy to foster people's ability to cope with the hardship and to prevent future psychological and health implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Indigenous peoples are among the most marginalized groups in society. In the Philippines, a new policy aimed at ensuring equity and culture-sensitivity of health services for this population was introduced. The study aimed to determine how subnational health managers exercised power and with what consequences for how implementation unfolded. Power is manifested in the perception, decision and action of health system actors. The study also delved into the sources of power that health managers drew on and their reasons for exercising power. Methods: The study was a qualitative case study employing in-depth semi-structured interviews with 26 health managers from the case region and analysis of 15 relevant documents. Data from both sources were thematically analyzed following the framework method. In the analysis and interpretation of data on power, VeneKlasen and Miller's categorization of the sources and expressions of power and Gilson, Schneider and Orgill's categorization of the sources and reasons for exercising power were utilized. Results: Key managers in the case region perceived the implementation of the new Indigenous health policy as limited and weakly integrated into health operations. The forms of power exercised by actors in key administrative interfaces were greatly influenced by organizational context and perceived weak leadership and their practices of power hindered policy implementation. However, some positive experiences showed that personal commitment and motivation rooted in one's indigeneity enabled program managers to mobilize their discretionary power to support policy implementation. Conclusion: The way power is exercised by policy actors at key interfaces influences the implementation and uptake of the Indigenous policy by the health system. Middle managers are strategic actors in translating central directions to operational action down to frontlines. Indigenous program managers are most likely to support an Indigenous health policy but personal and organizational factors can also override this inclination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has subjected the mental health and wellbeing of Filipino children under drastic conditions. While children are more vulnerable to these detriments, there remains the absence of unified and comprehensive strategies in mitigating the deterioration of the mental health of Filipino children. Existing interventions focus on more general solutions that fail to acknowledge the circumstances that a Filipino child is subjected under. Moreover, these strategies also fail to address the multilayered issues faced by a lower-middle-income country, such as the Philippines. As the mental well-being of Filipino children continues to be neglected, a subsequent and enduring mental health epidemic can only be expected for years to come. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Japan's health policies to address the most advanced-aged society have been the target of focus in Asia, but no studies have investigated this issue using tools for cross-country comparisons. Theory and methods: A cross-country study design was used to compare healthcare reform policies with a framework in Japan, Korea, Thailand, China, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Data were collected via document reviews and key informant interviews. Results: Three distinctions were identified. First, all countries except for the Philippines have policy decisions regarding reforms for the existing service delivery systems for healthcare, long-term care and welfare. Second, the most extensive service delivery reform is currently being implemented in Japan, whose system is shifting to primary health care. Third, the direction of the transformation of service delivery system is different between Thailand and China despite a similar level of ageing society. China has made progress on facility-based care integration between health and social care, whereas Thailand is focusing on home-based care. Conclusions and discussion: Doctor and hospital-based healthcare delivery system requires more drastic reform for an aged society. This fact implies that strengthening primary health care is not only useful for current health issues but also an investment for the aged society near future in low- and middle-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Kidney failure patients in the Philippines have free choice on their kidney replacement therapy (KRT), with a majority choosing haemodialysis (HD) over peritoneal dialysis (PD) and transplantation despite the inadequate coverage of HD. Although national health insurance coverage is limited, KRT remains to be one of the top benefits pay‐outs in the country. The study aims to identify the most cost‐effective policy strategy for financing KRT in the Philippines, in the context of a universal healthcare policy. Methods: A Markov model was developed to estimate and compare the costs and benefits of different policy options with the comparator being partial HD coverage. Direct medical, non‐medical and indirect costs were measured, while outcomes were reported through quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs). Parameters were derived from the kidney disease registry, hospital statistics from a tertiary hospital and a patient survey. Results: The results of the cost‐effectiveness analysis showed that shifting to a PD‐First policy provides better value‐for‐money with an incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) of 570 029 Philippine Pesos (PHP) per QALY gained, compared with the ICER of the PD‐First combined with pre‐emptive transplant option of 577 989 PHP per QALY gained. Expanding existing HD coverage to 156 sessions was the least cost‐effective policy (1 522 437 PHP per QALY gained). Conclusion: Government should consider shifting to a PD‐First strategy and support policies that promote kidney transplants among existing PD and HD patients. This study also highlights the need for proper evaluation of partial coverage policies to ensure that government investments represent good value‐for‐money and patients receive optimal care. SUMMARY AT A GLANCE: This article aims to identify a cost‐effective policy strategy for access to kidney replacement therapy in the Philippines, and calls on the government to consider shifting to a Peritoneal Dialysis (PD)‐First strategy and support policies that promote kidney transplants among existing PD and haemodialysis patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on outbreak of epidemics and pandemics including Ebola, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Coronavirus (COVID-19) and mentions implementation of lockdown of Hubei province. Topics discussed including nursing informatics community responding to crisis and lessons learned, reduction of impact of the disease on the country's healthcare system and e-learning technologies to ensure nursing students.

What explains the variation among public hospitals in implementing the free healthcare policy of the Philippines? We draw on Ostrom's theory of polycentric governance, which assumes that policy actors' autonomous interactions at various levels produce better policy implementation when managing the provision of public goods. To explain the various degrees of implementation, we analyse the effects of face-to-face horizontal and vertical interactions between public hospitals and other policy actors by employing sequential explanatory mixed methods. Using originally collected survey data of public hospitals in two regions of the Philippines, we quantitatively demonstrate that the vertical interactions between hospitals and implementing agencies at local levels as well as monitoring and prompt disbursement of the costs by the implementation agency matter when seeking to enhance the delivery of free health care at public hospitals in the Philippines. We further qualitatively explore why horizontal and vertical interactions are made possible by comparing three public hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at summarizing the existing health policies for stateless populations living in the 10 ASEAN countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. We followed scoping review method recommended by Arksey and O'Malley. Our inclusion criteria were based on three concepts: populations (stateless and undocumented people), issues (healthcare policies and regulations), and settings (10 ASEAN countries). Our findings suggest that none of the ASEAN countries have explicit healthcare policies for stateless people except Thailand. We also observed that ratification of international human rights treaties relating to the right to health does not necessarily translate into the provision of healthcare policies for stateless population. Although Thailand seems like the only country among 10 ASIAN countries having health policies for stateless populations in the country, the question remains whether having a policy would lead to a proper implementation by ensuring right to health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Philippines decentralized government health services through devolution to local governments in 1992. Over the years, opinions varied on the impact of devolved governance to decision-making for local health services. The objective of this study was to analyze decision-makers' perspectives on who should be making decisions for local health services and on their preferred structure of health service governance should they be able to change the situation.Methods: We employed a mixed methods approach that included an online survey in one region and in-depth interviews with purposively-selected decision-makers in the Philippine health system. Study participants were asked about their perspectives on decision-making in the functions of planning, health financing, resource management, human resources for health, health service delivery, and data management and monitoring. Analysis of survey results through visualization of data on charts was complemented by the themes that emerged from the qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews based on the Framework Method.Results: We received 24 online survey responses and interviewed 27 other decision-makers. Survey respondents expressed a preference to shift decision-making away from the local politician in favor of the local health officer in five functions. Most survey participants also preferred re-centralization. Analysis of the interviews suggested that the preferences expressed were likely driven by an expectation that re-centralization would provide a solution to the perceived politicization in decision-making and the reliance of local governments on central support.Conclusions: Rather than re-centralize the health system, one policy option for consideration for the Philippines would be to maintain devolution but with a revitalized role for the central level to maintain oversight over local governments and regulate their decision-making for the functions. Decentralization, whether in the Philippines or elsewhere, must not only transfer decision-making responsibility to local levels but also ensure that those granted with the decision space could perform decision-making with adequate capacities and could grasp the importance of health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates policy in the Philippines relating to the protection of children, which, despite policy efforts in this space, and growing evidence of child maltreatment and its impact, remains unexamined by the literature. It examines constructions of childhoods utilising a critical policy analysis of national policy documents concerning children's welfare and protection. Analysis finds conflicting representations of children's agency, defining children as 'becomings', but also as rights holders and social actors, viewing children as both embedded in, and reliant on, family, consequently detailing important insights into Filipino policy‐making and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Health Policy & Planning is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Health-related within-country inequalities continue to be a matter of great interest and concern to both policy makers and researchers. This study aims to assess the level and the distribution of child mortality outcomes in the Philippines across geographical and socioeconomic indicators. Methodology: Data on 159,130 children ever borne were analysed from five waves of the Philippine Demographic and Health Survey. Direct estimation was used to construct under-five and neonatal mortality rates for the period 1980–2013. Rate differences and ratios, and where possible, slope and relative indices of inequality were calculated to measure disparities on absolute and relative scales. Stratification was undertaken by levels of rural/urban location, island groups and household wealth. Findings: National under-five and neonatal mortality rates have shown considerable albeit differential reductions since 1980. Recently released data suggests that neonatal mortality has declined following a period of stagnation. Declines in under-five mortality have been accompanied by decreases in wealth and geography-related absolute inequalities. However, relative inequalities for the same markers have remained stable over time. For neonates, mixed evidence suggests that absolute and relative inequalities have remained stable or may have risen. Conclusion: In addition to continued reductions in under-five mortality, new data suggests that the Philippines have achieved success in addressing the commonly observed stagnated trend in neonatal mortality. This success has been driven by economic improvement since 2006 as well as efforts to implement a nationwide universal health care campaign. Yet, such patterns, nonetheless, accorded with persistent inequalities, particularly on a relative scale. A continued focus on addressing universal coverage, the influence of decentralisation and armed conflict, and issues along the continuum of care is advocated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the measles elimination initiative in the Philippines from 1998-2014, when lower number of cases were reported between 2007 and 2011, but increased slowly before the country experienced an outbreak in 2013-2014. Topics discussed include incidence of measles and viral genotypes behind them, including those behind the 2013-2014 outbreak and the government's draft National Immunization Programme Strategic Plan for 2015-2019.

Background: Adolescents in the Philippines face many legal, social and political barriers to access sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, putting them at higher risk of unplanned pregnancy, abortion, sexually transmitted infections and HIV, and other health and development problems. Objective: This study aims to evaluate whether current normative documents on SRH in the Philippines are in concurrence with adolescents' human rights principles using the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidance and Recommendations on ensuring human rights in the provision of contraceptive information and services. Methods: The review focused on policies and normative guidance documents which included the national reproductive health law, its implementing rules and regulations, and the Supreme Court decisions on the law, and documents cited in the government's Adolescent and Youth Health Programme. Also included were documents identified through keyword searches in an online database of the health department. We assessed these documents on their agreement or non-agreement with WHO recommendations, and the presence or absence of adolescent-specific content. Results: Of nine WHO summary recommendations, Philippine normative documents are in agreement with four, namely on acceptability, participation, accountability, and quality, and have adolescent-specific provisions in three. Philippine normative documents are partly in agreement with the remaining five WHO summary recommendations—nondiscrimination, availability, accessibility, informed decision-making, and privacy. Of twenty-four WHO sub-recommendations, Philippine normative documents are in agreement with fifteen, not in agreement with five, and partly in agreement with four. Two possible factors may explain the many documents with conflicting contents: devolution of the Philippine health system, and the deep social and policy divide on sexual and reproductive health. Conclusion: Many Philippine-governmental norms and standards are in agreement with adolescents' human rights to contraceptive information and services as recommended by the WHO. However, a significant number are restrictive, reflecting the strong influence of conservative religious beliefs. Recommendations: We recommend: 1) further elaboration of the laws and policies that are fully in agreement with WHO recommendations; 2) a more liberal interpretation of the law to ensure the provision, delivery and access to reproductive health care services, and to promote, protect and fulfill women's reproductive health and rights; and 3) popularization of ethical and human rights norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]