By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The Department of Health is doubling down on bayanihan — and putting pharmacists at the center of it. Speaking for Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa at the Philippine Pharmacists Association National Convention 2026 last April, DOH-Ilocos Regional Director Paula Paz M. Sydiongco said Universal Health Care will only work if health workers unite beyond policy and prescriptions.
“Kalinga — our deep commitment to patient care — will always be at the heart of what we do. But it is bayanihan that will carry us forward, uniting our efforts to build a stronger, more responsive healthcare system,” Sydiongco told delegates in Vigan.
She 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, DOH said.
Under the UHC framework, they serve as the critical bridge connecting the Department of Health, PhilHealth, and local government units. Their role: make sure healthcare access means access to safe, effective, and affordable medicines.
Programs like PhilHealth’s outpatient drug benefits are already cutting out-of-pocket costs and improving treatment outcomes for Filipino families, the agency noted.
DOH raised the alarm on antimicrobial resistance and called on pharmacists to lead antimicrobial stewardship — 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,” Sydiongco said.
Themed “Honoring Our Heritage Through Embracing the Future of Philippine Healthcare,” the convention linked Filipino healing traditions — from the babaylan to today’s pharmaceutical care — to a modern, evolving profession rooted in compassion.
“Pharmacists are no longer at the sidelines of healthcare — they are at its core. You are not just providers; you 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,” the DOH statement concluded.
ia/xf
