In a startling projection for 2025, insurance provider Willis Towers Watson anticipates an 18.3 percent rise in medical insurance costs in the Philippines. Consumer spending on healthcare here by 2029 is also forecast to reach 10.4 billion USD, or around ₱578 billion, according to Statista.

These figures plague the poorest of our people at times of sickness. In a country where healthcare looks like a luxury, the adage "malayo sa bituka (far from the gut)” does the trick. These magic words are typically the only "medicine" accessible for the majority of Filipinos. Even with universal health care coverage underway in PH, income-poor families continue to face hurdles to healthcare use and access, a study by National Library of Medicine stressed.

Providing a sliver of hope to the otherwise looming threat to accessible healthcare, the second Manila Bulletin Sustainability Focus Session in the afternoon of April 30 echoed calls for quality healthcare and nutrition. 

Under the theme "Envisioning the Future of Healthcare," the event advanced the discourse on the right to affordable health services and selections. It also provided a platform for such providers who, in turn, vowed to promote and practice sustainability in their sectors.

Cooking plant-based meals from local produce took the spotlight as this nonprofit organization shared a cookbook for Filipinos to spread healthier and more affordable recipes and diet across the country. A chief dietician of a school hospital was then generous enough to deepen the discussion on this matter.

Local health brands likewise caught the limelight, having pushed for a better health industry which, according to them, is better achieved through collective action.

Mesa ni Misis

Juana Manahan-Yupangco, founder of the nonprofit, aims to advocate for and use locally sourced vegetables, noting their "natural medicinal properties."

During the event, she recalled the time when she was pregnant and struggling to afford basic health essentials.

“What about the people who can’t afford it?” she expressed.

A month had passed and her wounds from bearing a child hadn’t closed. One day, her helper of 40 years suggested that she boil guava leaves in water to bathe her body with, which her doctor initially disapproved of.

Stating she had nothing to lose, she proceeded to follow her helper’s advice. She then washed herself in guava leaves water. After two days—and to the doctor’s surprise, she said the wounds had closed. 

“There is power in our local fruits and vegetables. We use this to heal us. Food is our healer,” she affirmed.

This experience catapulted Manahan-Yupangco into establishing a nonprofit advocating for local produce and its uses.

In their cookbook "Mesa Ni Misis: A Guide to Cooking and Enjoying Native Filipino Vegetables," 40 healthy and affordable recipes can help Filipino families achieve a farm-to-table experience, one dish at a time.

“Another part of food security and sustainable nutrition is the impact on our planet. Our eating habits are just like the US’, with lots of processed and packaged food,” she noted. “We have to change to get to sustainable eating patterns. Locally sourced food has less carbon footprint. If we start planting more beans and eating more locally, this might help our sustainability footprint.”

Meanwhile, they created the plant-based menu for The Medical City to help push healthy and green selections in the industry.

Calling for accessible nutrition and healthcare

Dr. Maureen Sarmago, chief dietitian of University of Santo Tomas (UST) Hospital, said that in addressing malnutrition, personalized nutrition management is needed.

The hospital then conducts nutrition seminars for its outpatients to offer advice on the management of health conditions and chronic illnesses.

“There's no one-size-fits-all management. Every patient is different. We have to consider their nutritional status, diagnosis, medical condition, food preferences, and cultural beliefs,” she stressed.

We should base our management, Sarmago said, on updated guidelines and evidence-based recommendations from credible medical and academic organizations.

UST Hospital is coming up with programs to focus on preventive nutrition. It also aims to advocate for healthy eating habits, lower fast food consumption, and increase intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Maxicare

Kurleigh Gacutan, chief strategy officer at Maxicare, publicized plans to contribute to making healthcare more accessible.

Their 35 primary care clinics are mostly based in Metro Manila. This time, 20 more clinics will be added “all over the country” before 2025, he said. 

“We need to be near enough to help as well as fast enough to matter. Our intention is to have a total of 100 primary care clinics all over the Philippines by 2028,” he announced, believing they’ll achieve the deadline earlier.

“We are also actively engaging our customers and educating them through workshops. We do active participation in school partnerships. We try to embed health check-ins as part of everyday life of people,” Gacutan added.

The Generics Pharmacy

In pursuing sustainability, Carole Cabahug-Malenab, head of corporate affairs for Robinsons Retail's Drugstore Segment, said they continue to do digital transformation, telepharmacy, and close work with government agencies for different health campaigns and advocacies.

“Sustainability is more than a big group project. It’s not just a side project but how you work consistently, deliberately, and with care. It’s part of what we do every day,” she said.

Aiming to bring affordable and accessible healthcare to Filipinos, TGP is a pharmacy built to empower communities, she added.

The second Manila Bulletin Sustainability Focus Session was held in collaboration with Watsons, The Medical City, Maxicare, The Generics Pharmacy, AC Health, and the University of Santo Tomas.