True to its commitment to strengthening healthcare in the Philippines, the development agencies of Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United States signed on September 27 a partnership committing Php1.6 billion ($29 million) over five years to improve health outcomes and advance Universal Health Care in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). This funding is in addition to existing forms of assistance that the three development agencies have provided and will continue to extend to BARMM.
Under the Memorandum of Cooperation, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will work closely with BARMM’s Ministry of Health (BARMM-MOH), the Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH), local communities, and other key stakeholders to improve health information systems; increase public health financing; promote good public health practices; expand quality healthcare services, and improve access to essential medicines, facilities, and equipment. JICA, KOICA, and USAID have committed to share their expertise and resources to advance cross-cutting health system reforms and initiatives in the region effectively and innovatively.
“Together with our partners, we aim to promote a more resilient and efficient regional healthcare system accessible to the community and the vulnerable groups within the region. Our efforts towards a more inclusive and responsive health system reflects Japan’s long-standing commitment to human security and peace-making efforts within the BARMM,” Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya said at the signing ceremony held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila.
“Korea’s experience rising from the ashes of war to prosperity drives our commitment to supporting peace and development, reflected in our 30 percent increase in official development assistance and a 48 percent boost in KOICA’s budget for 2024. Through this unprecedented partnership, KOICA will play a crucial role in delivering vital maternal and child health services, strengthening health systems, and improving emergency readiness,” KOICA Vice President KIM Dong Ho said.
“Through this partnership, we envision a future where mothers and their children are in the care of highly capable professionals; where TB patients receive treatment; where young adults receive culturally sensitive reproductive health services; and where families are protected from infectious diseases and pandemic threats,” U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said.
JICA, KOICA, and USAID will each have a unique focus and expand their priority health programs in BARMM. JICA will advance maternal and newborn health and nutrition, strengthen community health services, promote PhilHealth enrollment facility-based deliveries, and take into account contribution to gender mainstreaming. KOICA will enhance sustainable health financing through PhilHealth, provide culturally sensitive maternal care, upgrade facilities and equipment, and boost emergency preparedness with the DOH-certified Field Epidemiology Training Program. USAID will strengthen health systems, enhance the delivery of family planning, adolescent reproductive health, and tuberculosis programs, and improve preparedness and response to emerging health threats.
“This collaboration reinforces the shared journey of DOH, BARMM-MOH, USAID, JICA, and KOICA towards our vision of Universal Health Care and the sustainable development goals for health, including quality service delivery, healthcare financing, health governance, and health regulations,” DOH Secretary Dr. Teodoro Herbosa added.
“The Memorandum of Cooperation is a call to action and a commitment to harness the collective power of our organizations to create a healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous Bangsamoro with an end in mind to build a stronger Philippines,” said BARMM Health Minister Kadil Sinolinding, Jr. “By working together, we can amplify our collective action, enhance our efficiency, and ensure that every peso, dollar, won, and yen invested shall translate to tangible improvements in people’s health and quality of life.”
In addition, the strategic partnership will more effectively provide training and support to local governments and communities so they can expand health outreach to vulnerable populations, laying the foundation for long-term stability and prosperity for the Bangsamoro.
The efforts of the three agencies also support the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security.
This cooperation marks the first partnership in health in the Asia Pacific region among the development agencies of the governments of Japan, Republic of Korea, and the United States.