As part of its 17th cityhood anniversary celebration, the City Government of Navotas reported on Thursday that it has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Department of Health (DoH) and PhilHealth for the establishment of an integrated city-wide health system in Navotas.

Mayor John Rey Tiangco signed the MoU, alongside Dr. Rio Magpantay, regional director of DoH Metro Manila Center for Health Development (MMCHD), and Brian Florentino, head of the Local Health Insurance Office of PhilHealth NCR-North.

This initiative is a key component of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act implementation.

“Through the MoU, we can secure additional technical and financial support from the national government for the UHC program. This agreement ensures equitable access to quality and affordable healthcare for Navoteños,” Tiangco said.

“Establishing the UHC integration site in Navotas also facilitates the faster and more efficient delivery of health services to our constituents. We are grateful to DoH and PhilHealth for their continuous support to our city,” he added.

The signing ceremony was attended by Dr. Eric David, Navotas City health officer, and Dr. Karen Fernandez, assistant regional director of DoH-MMCHD.

An integrated health system involves collaboration among local government units, along with partners like the DoH, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development and civil society organizations. Together, they share responsibility for organizing, managing, delivering and financing collective resources to improve health outcomes for all stakeholders.

“Through the MoU, we can secure additional technical and financial support from the national government for the UHC program. This agreement ensures equitable access to quality and affordable healthcare for Navoteños,” Tiangco said.