Question & AnswerQ&A (MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 53)
Section 15, Article II and Section 11, Article XIII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution are cited as they mandate the State to protect the right to health and adopt an integrated approach to health development.
Republic Act No. 11223, known as the Universal Health Care Act, mandates the State to adopt a whole-of-system, whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach and a people-oriented approach for health service delivery.
The Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), is primarily tasked with implementation.
The DOH must formulate and disseminate plans and guidelines, establish monitoring and evaluation frameworks, facilitate capacity-building programs, coordinate with private sector and civil society, ensure participatory approaches, and integrate strategies into LGU annual plans.
LGUs are hereby encouraged and directed to support the implementation of NOH 2023-2028 in accordance with their mandates.
Section 19 mandates the integration of health systems into province-wide and city-wide systems, supporting the NOH's objective of strengthening health sector integration.
The Presidential Communications Office, in coordination with the DOH, is responsible for disseminating official copies of the NOH to all concerned government agencies and offices.
The approach centers on people's needs and well-being, and recognizes differences in culture, values, and beliefs in delivering health services.
The National Objectives for Health (NOH) 2023-2028 outlines the 8-Point Action Agenda for the development of the Philippine health sector.