26/09/2025
๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ | ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
The Department of Health (DOH), through the Universal Health Care (UHC) Unit led by Mr. Janriel Lavadia, Nurse V and UHC Unit Head, successfully conducted the Orientation on the Special Health Fund (SHF) Manual of Procedures (MOP) on September 25โ26, 2025, at the Crown Hotel and Pavilion, Tuguegarao City.
The two-day activity convened key representatives from all five provinces of Region II, Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino, along with officials from the Cagayan Valley Center for Health Development (CVCHD), the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and the Commission on Audit (COA). The orientation aimed to strengthen interagency collaboration and ensure the effective implementation of the SHF as a critical component of the Universal Health Care (UHC) program.
In his opening message, Dr. Ferdinand M. Benbenen, Director IV of CVCHD, emphasized that the SHF is not only a financing mechanism but a tool to ensure that no one is left behind in accessing healthcare. Mr. Lavadia, who spearheaded the activity, provided a comprehensive overview of the SHF guidelines and highlighted best practices from the region, particularly Cagayanโs strategy of returning 100% of PhilHealth income to Rural Health Units (RHUs) to strengthen primary care. Other technical inputs were delivered by national and regional experts, including Ms. Richelle Grace Laggui, who discussed the legal frameworks and foundational steps of SHF implementation; Atty. Philip Jeffrey D. David of DBM, who guided participants on transparent planning and budgeting; Mr. Neil Bryan U. Aglugub, CPA, who tackled budget ex*****on and accountability; and Atty. Mary Louise D. Tuscano and Atty. Stephen Vargas of COA, who provided guidance on compliance and audit requirements.
During the open forum, Ms. Lovely Timmanan, Provincial UHC Coordinator of Cagayan, shared the province's successful SHF policy, reiterating that 100% of PhilHealth income pooled into the SHF is directly returned to RHUs, ensuring that resources are reinvested where services are delivered. This was further supported by Dr. Rebecca C. Battung, Provincial Health Officer II, who presented how Cagayan has aligned financial and health strategies to optimize SHF implementation. Their contributions underscored the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration in achieving UHC goals.
The orientation concluded with the development of localized SHF Roll-Out Action Plans from each participating province. Notably, the Province of Cagayan committed to conducting an SHF Guidelines Roll-Out for municipal health and finance officers and organizing a UHC Stakeholders Assembly in October 2025. These initiatives demonstrate the regionโs collective commitment to building an equitable, transparent, and sustainable healthcare system under the Universal Health Care program.
The activity was also attended by representatives from the Provincial Health Office, Provincial Budget Office, Provincial Accounting Office, Provincial Treasury Office, and Provincial Planning and Development Office, further reinforcing a whole-of-government approach to health system integration
