Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Raphael Bosano

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) believes that up to 90 percent of illnesses among Filipinos could be prevented or treated early if communities had better access to primary health care physicians, as government ramps up efforts to deploy more doctors across the country. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said strengthening community-based health care remains crucial, especially as non-communicable diseases continue to rank among the leading causes of death in the Philippines. Speaking to ABS-CBN News, Herbosa expressed optimism that illnesses such as tuberculosis would be detected earlier once more physicians are assigned to underserved areas. “I&#x27;m expecting na made-detect lahat ng mga may TB. The moment may doctor, mukhang TB to, pa-X-ray ko nga ito, pa-sputum test ko sa gene expert. Pag alam na nila ngayon na TB, ma-start na nila yung treatment. So, malaki ang chance ma-cure mga patients,” he said. In his last State of the Nation Address, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. highlighted government efforts to provide at least one doctor for every municipality as part of the country’s push toward universal health care. But the DOH acknowledged that sustaining physician deployment remains a challenge, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. Under the Doctors to the Barrios program, physicians are typically deployed for only three years, creating gaps whenever doctors retire, pass away, or complete their assignments. “The other is, meron silang doktor sa MHO, tapos namatay or nag-retire. So wala na naman silang doktor. So kailangan ma-replace din namin yun. Then meron namang may doktor nga pero kulang. May isa, parang, sabi niya, 25 health units yung tinitingnan niya,” Herbosa said. DOH data showed that around 850 rural health physicians served municipalities nationwide in 2025, including more than 150 assigned to previously doctor-less communities. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, the agency deployed 295 doctors, the largest single placement in the program’s history. Among them were DOH scholars and topnotchers from the latest physician licensure examinations. For newly licensed physician Christian Andrew Tagami, the decision to pursue medicine was shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic and witnessing his mother, a public health nurse, serve patients in their community. “There were people na pumupunta sa bahay namin nagpapakonsulta, humihingi ng gamot and asking for advice. Doon po ako mas lalong nainspire to pursue medicine. That I have a greater role that I have to enter the profession in order for me to help the underserved,” he said. Despite opportunities abroad offering significantly higher salaries, Tagami said he remains committed to serving Filipinos in underserved communities. “There are those na hindi talaga nakakaabot yung health care sa kanila. I know that every single Filipino deserves good treatment and health. I will always go back to why I pursued medicine which is in order to serve my fellow men,” he added. Meanwhile, physician licensure exam second placer Alexis Temblique said his motivation for entering medicine initially centered on helping his family, but later evolved into a desire to educate communities about preventive health care. “Ang iniisip ko rin ay ang daming sakit na pwede namang ma-prevent so what if sa grassroots pa lang nakikita mo na sila at yung malalalang sakit, so marami kang matutulungan kung i-educate mo sila,” he said. Temblique noted that the high cost of medical education nearly prevented him from pursuing medicine, making government scholarships critical to achieving his goal. An Ateneo de Manila University study published in 2025 found that the Philippines has around eight doctors for every 10,000 people. This is below the World Health Organization’s recommended ratio of 10 to 14 physicians per 10,000 population. The study also warned that shortages among nurses and other health workers continue to worsen due to migration overseas for better pay and working conditions. To attract more physicians to public service, the DOH said doctors under the Doctors to the Barrio program would receive higher compensation under Salary Grade 24, along with additional benefits such as scholarships, medical conference support, residency opportunities, and tuition assistance for master’s degree programs. “May incentive sila. So, their salary grade is higher. They&#x27;re under the DOH with the whole support,” Herbosa said. The health department said improving compensation and career opportunities is expected to generate “substantial clinical and economic gains” by encouraging more physicians to serve in remote communities. Officials project that stronger access to doctors could eventually improve maternal and child health, increase contraceptive use, reduce undernutrition, and raise life expectancy by as much as 3.5 years. “The program is also shown to be highly cost-effective, with a benefit-cost ratio of about 10 and an estimated internal rate of return of 15.9%, which exceeds the government’s social discount rate,” the DOH said.<div> </div>

The Department of Health (DOH) believes that up to 90 percent of illnesses among Filipinos could be prevented or treated early if communities had better access to primary health care physicians, as government ramps up efforts to deploy more doctors across the country.

The Department of Health (DOH) believes that up to 90 percent of illnesses among Filipinos could be prevented or treated early if communities had better access to primary health care physicians, as government ramps up efforts to deploy more doctors across the country.

DOH eyes stronger primary care system as more doctors deployed to underserved communities

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DOH eyes stronger primary care system as more doctors deployed to underserved communities

Raphael Bosano,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 07, 2026 09:33 PM PHT

Read More:

Department of Health

Doctors to the Barrios

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