City to implement Universal Health Care Act, 2023-2025 LIPH

THE city government of Cagayan de Oro will soon be able to implement the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act and the 2023-2025 Local Investment Plan for Health (LIPH).

This, as the 20th City Council, during its regular session presided over by City Vice Mayor Bebot Rodriguez, enacted an ordinance authorizing City Mayor Rolando A. Uy to enter into and sign the Terms of Partnership (Annual Operational Plan CY 2023) with the Department of Health–Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) –Northern Mindanao covering the management and implementation of UHC and LIPH.

In his letter to the legislative body, Mayor Uy said that the partnership further strengthens the linkage between the national government and the local government in the area of health and hospital services. He said the agreement will also focus on the achievement of improved local health system performance consistent with the UHC Act.

Section 22 of Republic Act 11223 (otherwise known as the UHC Act 2019) mandated the national government to make available commensurate financial and non-financial matching grants, including capital outlays, human resources for health, and health commodities, to improve the functionality of city-wide health systems, provided that the grants shall be in accordance with the approved city-wide health investment plans.

Under the agreement, the DOH-CHD shall coordinate or facilitate the support from the National Government Agencies (NGAs) and their instrumentalities, and development partners, to the city for the implementation of the program and issue the necessary policies to mobilize its offices to assist in the implementation.

For its part, the city shall secure the participation and cooperation of its component LGUs in carrying out local initiatives or activities pursuant to the city-wide implementation of UHC and the 2023-2025 LIPH.

The city shall also allocate, utilize, and liquidate funds that are necessary for the implementation of the approved 2023 Annual Operation Plans (AOP), among others. The ordinance was sponsored by the Committees on Health, Nutrition, and Health Insurance and Laws and Rules, chaired by Councilors Maria Lourdes S. Gaane and Edgar S. Cabanlas, respectively.