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MALACANANG
MANILA
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO.____

Directing all government agencies to cooperate, coordinate, facilitate, and otherwise

contribute to the implementation of Universal Health Care for all Filipinos.

WHEREAS the 1987 Philippine Constitution affirms the right to health of all Filipinos and
directs the State to protect this right;

WHEREAS scientific medicine and modern public health, introduced in the Philippines
more than one hundred years ago, have contributed to the improvement of overall health
status of Filipinos;

WHEREAS despite continued efforts of government and private sector in the application
of scientific medicine and modern public health methods in the health care of Filipinos,
current health status indicators show that the Philippines still lags behind its neighbor
countries in health development;

WHEREAS the health status of individuals, families, and communities in the Philippines
varies widely in accordance to socio-economic status and geographic area;

WHEREAS this wide variation in health status between and among population groups
results from social inequities and, within the Philippine Health system, from inequity in
access to health services;

WHERAS this inequity in access to health services results from the following
characteristics of the Philippine health system:

• Inappropriate governance within the health system

• Antiquated and inadequate health information systems
• Ineffective regulation of health goods and services
• Fragmentation of health service delivery
• Dysfunctional health workforce;
• Unfair, unjust and inadequate health care financing
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WHEREAS health development programs in the country at all levels have not sufficiently
taken into account the major social determinants of health;

WHEREAS Universal Health Care, defined as the provision to every Filipino of the
highest possible quality of health care that is accessible, efficient, equitably distributed,
adequately funded, fairly financed and appropriately used by an informed and
empowered public, will address the inequities of the Philippine health system;

NOW THEREFORE I, Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III, President of the Republic of the
Philippines by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order the following:

SECTION 1. Mandate: In accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and in a

manner consistent with the Administrative Code of 1987, the Local Government Code
(RA 7160) as well as all health provisions of other legislative and administrative
issuances, the Department of Health (DOH) is hereby mandated to be the lead national
agency in the formulation of policies, development of programs, issuance of guidelines
and provision of technical support that will lead to the establishment of Universal Health
Care as the vehicle for health development;

SECTION 2. Tasks: to accomplish this mandate, the DOH is instructed to:

a. Undertake a review of the structure and functions of its organic as well as

attached agencies with the end in view of recommending changes (including
necessary administrative issuances and where needed legislative proposals)
oriented along the lines of Universal Health Care;

b. Organize tasks forces, committees, or any type of bodies deemed necessary to

secure the participation of all relevant national government agencies and
instrumentalities, local governments, civil society, and communities in the
development of a national Universal Health Care program;

c. Within a month from the issuance of this Executive Order, to present to the
President and the cabinet a two year plan to comprehensively address the health
problems of disadvantaged population groups particularly the poor, women,
children and the elderly;

d. With the cooperation of the other social development agencies (Education,

CHED including state institutions of higher learning, Labor, Social Services) as
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well as the economic agencies (Budget, Finance, NEDA), develop a budget

proposal for 2011 directed along the lines of Universal Health Care.

SECTION 3. In support of the DOH’S tasks in relation to Universal Health Care, the
following agencies are directed to extend all cooperation:
a. DILG – to ensure full cooperation of local government units in the implementation
of Universal Health Care

b. Education, CHED and government academic and service institutions: ensure the
participation of the education sector in the development of the UHC program.

c. NEDA and other economic and financial agencies – to identify and mobilize
resources in support of UHC

d. DSWD – to identify priority segments of the population for UHC implementation.

SECTION 4. Areas of Concern: the above tasks should address issues, challenges, and
obstacles to the attainment of Universal Health Care in the following areas:
a. Health Governance – establish equity as the overall philosophy of the Philippine
health system and strengthen existing mechanisms and where necessary install
new ones for the effective and meaningful participation of families, communities,
professional groups, and other relevant groups in the management and operation
of health programs, facilities, and activities.

b. Health Information – utilize all available resources to establish a National Health

Information System which will set standards in the collection, collation, analysis
and utilization of information in support of Universal Health Care.

c. Regulatory Functions – ensure implementation of regulatory laws, edicts,

decrees, and other issuances in support of a Universal Health Care policy and
giving priority to health concerns (especially of the disadvantaged population
groups) over commercial interests of private groups or individuals;

d. Health Services Delivery – actions, such as the development of gatekeeping

mechanisms, should be taken to promote the vertical and horizontal integration
of health services within government at all levels and between public and private
sectors;
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e. Human Resources for Health – lead the various health workforce regulatory
agencies (including CHED, PRC, DOLE, DFA) in the development of an
integrated plan for health workforce recruitment, production, deployment, and
management (including compensation schemes) to support Universal Health
Care.

f. Health Care Financing – increase combined government spending at national

and local levels as well as through the National Health Insurance Program to
levels needed to significantly reduce the out of pocket component of total health
expenditures to 20% or less by 2015;

SECTION 5. Effectivity: This Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the year of Our Lord 2010 this __day of December

FOR the President
By Executive Secretary.