QuestionsQuestions (EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 205)
The policy is to promote, encourage, and ensure full and integrated delivery and development of health care services throughout the country, especially for the poor and marginalized sectors, by promoting active collaboration of LGUs with major stakeholders, particularly DOH and DILG, to achieve an integrated health care delivery system at national and local levels by the year 2000 and thereafter.
EO No. 205 cites Section 33 of R.A. 7160, which allows LGUs to group themselves, consolidate efforts and services/resources for commonly beneficial purposes through an agreement approved by the concerned sanggunians. It also references the statutory authority framework for devolved health service delivery.
EO No. 205 creates the National Health Planning Committee (NHPC), as the overall coordinating body.
Within one month after approval, NHPC is convened with: (1) Secretary of DOH (Chairman); (2) Secretary of DILG (Co-Chairman); (3) National President of League of Provinces (Vice-Chairman); (4) Executive Secretary (Ex-Officio Member); (5) Chairman, Senate Committee on Health (Ex-Officio Member); (6) Chairman, House Committee on Health (Ex-Officio Member); (7) Secretary of DBM (Member); and (8) Two (2) private sector representatives (Members).
The Secretariat provides support to NHPC. The DOH Secretary designates his Undersecretary to act as head of the Secretariat, and Secretariat members come from official representatives of DOH, DILG, ULAP, League of Cities, League of Municipalities, and Liga ng mga Barangay.
Examples include: ensuring Health Covenant ’99 and workshop outputs are sustained and made integral; promoting policies/programs/projects to enhance local autonomy in integrated health planning and delivery; forming partnership mechanisms among LGUs, DOH/DILG, private sector, NGOs, and civic groups; prioritizing reactivation and strengthening Local Health Boards (LHBs); recommending adequate resources (cash and in kind) for LGUs and ensuring inclusion in DOH/DILG GAA from CY 2000 onward; coordinating LHBs and ensuring their organization/reactivation; formulating annual planning guides/standards; recommending an initiative scheme for outstanding LGUs including a health insurance scheme for the 100 poorest families per province/city; and submitting semi-annual and year-end reports to the Office of the President.
Within one (1) month after the approval of EO No. 205.
EO No. 205 provides that ILHZs are established by DOH and DILG for effective delivery and smooth coordination among cities, municipalities, and barangays. Their composition, functions, and required resources are approved by the NHPC upon endorsement by the Provincial Governor or City Mayor.
An ILHZ consists of a well-defined population by level of governance in a rural or urban area, and all institutions and sectors whose activities contribute to improved health care delivery in that zone.
Municipalities, component cities, and HUCs develop their own health plans through their local health boards, which are integrated into an Inter-Zonal Health Plan incorporating two levels of care: (1) referral (district) hospitals; and (2) an identified set of main health centers/barangay health stations with catchment populations. These Inter-Zonal Plans are aggregated into a Provincial/City Health Plan based on needs and available resources relative to national health objectives.
Every municipality, component city, and highly urbanized city (through their respective local health boards) must develop health plans that get integrated into Inter-Zonal Health Plans, which then feed into Provincial/City Health Plans.
Provincial/HUC Health Plans shall be submitted to the NHPC, copy furnished to the Office of the President, not later than forty-five (45) days after the signing of the Executive Order.
EO No. 205 requires governors, city and municipal mayors—through their respective sanggunians—to provide specific budgetary appropriations under their approved local development plans for proper implementation of their health plans. This is stated in Section 7 (Funding).
As counterpart support, DOH and other concerned NGAs allocate and devolve funds to augment local funds intended for this purpose, subject to guidelines and criteria set by the NHPC, and in accordance with Article 31 of the IRR of R.A. 7160.
The DOH shall set aside a separate fund for the technical and administrative operations of the NHPC Secretariat beginning CY 1999 and thereafter.
All concerned departments and other attached agencies, LGUs, GOCCs, and other government instrumentalities are directed to cooperate and give full support to the NHPC, ILHZs, and LHBs to ensure effective performance of their functions (Section 8).
It takes effect immediately (Section 9, Effectivity).