A medicine can transform the course of a disease. A vaccine can prevent suffering before it begins. Scientific advances continue to offer new hope to patients and families. Yet for many Filipinos, the promise of medical innovation remains distant, not because breakthroughs do not exist, but because barriers stand between these advances and the people who need them.
As the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) celebrates its 80th anniversary, we are looking forward rather than simply looking back. On Oct. 16, we will convene healthcare leaders and stakeholders for the forum “Breaking Barriers to Medicine Access: Kalusugang Abot-Kamay nina Juan at Juana.” The gathering will examine how scientific progress can translate into timely, equitable access to medicines and better health outcomes for Filipinos.
First convened on May 4, 2016, under the theme “Health for Juan and Juana: Moving Forward with the Philippine Health Agenda,” Health for Juan and Juana or HJJ brought together public and private sector leaders to assess earlier healthcare reforms and recommend ways to sustain their momentum. Over the years, HJJ has evolved into a platform for dialogue, policy advocacy, and collaboration. Its continuing purpose is to help transform shared aspirations for better healthcare into meaningful reforms that benefit patients.
The Philippines has made important strides through the Universal Health Care Act, expanded PhilHealth benefits and initiatives to strengthen primary care. Despite extraordinary advances in preventing, diagnosing and treating diseases, innovation alone cannot bridge the distance between discovery and care.
The barriers are complex and interconnected. For patients facing serious or chronic illnesses, delays and interruptions in treatment can mean worsening health, lost income, and uncertainty for their families. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated action across the healthcare system.
At this year’s HJJ forum, we hope to build a shared commitment to making quality medicines available when and where Filipinos need them. We will examine persistent barriers, explore practical strategies, and identify opportunities for stronger collaboration. Above all, we want the discussions to produce concrete recommendations and commitments that translate innovation into better health outcomes.
No single institution can accomplish this alone. Government provides the policy framework and financing mechanisms. The private sector contributes research, expertise, and investment. Healthcare professionals and academic institutions bring evidence and practical experience. Most importantly, patients bring the lived realities that should shape our priorities and measure our progress.
That is why patient voices will take center stage at this year’s HJJ.
Through interviews and live discussions, leaders and representatives of Alyansa Para sa Kalusugan ng Pilipino (AKAP), Cancer Coalition, ICanServe Foundation, Dialysis PH, and the Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations (PAPO) will share their experiences of seeking treatment and sustaining care.
Their stories will help ground the discussions in the realities of diagnosis, affordability, treatment, and continuity of care. They remind us that medicine access is not merely a policy indicator. It can determine whether someone returns to work, cares for a child, or has the opportunity to live a longer, healthier life.
This collaborative approach is reflected in the broad network of organizations supporting HJJ. Our institutional partners include Philippine Pharma Procurement, Inc., AC Health, Asian Institute of Management, Cancer Coalition, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations, Foundation for Economic Freedom, Health Technology Association Philippines, Swiss Chamber of Commerce, UHC Watch, and the UP–UHC Study Group. Forum partners Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck, Mercury Drug, Takeda ,and Wellesta are likewise supporting this effort to advance cross-sector dialogue and action.
Recognizing that meaningful reform also requires an informed public, we are extending the conversation beyond the forum through a partnership with the Philippine Press Institute (PPI). Journalists play a critical role in explaining complex healthcare policies, examining persistent access barriers, and bringing patients’ experiences into public discussion. Accurate, evidence-based reporting can strengthen public understanding, encourage accountability, and sustain momentum for reform.
The Oct. 16 forum offers an opportunity to listen, identify common ground, and develop commitments that can outlast the gathering itself. The stakes are too high for any sector to work in isolation, and the challenges too complex for fragmented solutions.
After 80 years, PHAP remains convinced that healthcare progress depends on trust, cooperation, and sustained commitment. The ultimate breakthrough is not merely discovering a better medicine. It is making sure that medicine reaches every Juan and Juana on time, wherever they live, when their lives depend on it.
Teodoro B. Padilla is the executive director of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines which represents the biopharmaceutical medicines and vaccines industry in the country. Its members are at the forefront of developing, investing and delivering innovative medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics for Filipinos to live healthier and more productive lives.
