World Health Organization (WHO) Philippines organized the first “Walk the Talk Manila: The Health for All Challenge” in Alabang as part of the global Health for All Challenge which brought together 2,000 people from all walks of life to highlight universal health care, while promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Participants ran, walked, wheeled, and biked in 3-kilometer, 5-kilometer, and 10-kilometer distances and the non-competitive event was open to all ages and abilities and was free-of-charge.

Since 2018, WHO has led “Walk the Talk” events with participation from partners around the world. In May this year, WHO headquarters hosted the “Walk the Talk” in Geneva in parallel to the World Health Assembly, while the New York leg will be happening today, on the eve of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the High-level Meeting (HLM) on UHC(Universal Health Care).

“Walk the Talk Manila is the first of its kind in the Philippines,” said acting WHO Representative in the Philippines Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe. By coming together today, a week before the High-level Meeting on UHC, and the adoption of RA 11223 in the Philippines on UHC, WHO together with the Government of the Philippines is sending a strong message from Manila to New York that we are one with the global advocacy towards health for all.”

The Philippines will be sending delegates to the UNGA and the HLM, led by the Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

The Philippine Government, through the Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and local government units, has been leading the way since the enactment of the landmark UHC Act or Republic Act 11223 on 20 February 2019.

The landmark measure showed the political commitment of the Philippines to provide access to quality health care for all Filipinos, without suffering financial hardship.