Leveraging health for a resilient Philippines

By Dr. Lionel Dabbadie

The Philippines is already preparing to handle the next pandemic. The country has just reached a critical milestone in the pursuit of global health security by securing a significant grant from The Pandemic Fund.

Thanks to the joint efforts of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, Department of Finance, and key stakeholders such as the World Bank and the Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the country’s proposal stood out in this year’s competitive funding round.

The US$24.9-million grant under the Resilient Philippines project will enhance the country’s health systems — from bolstering disease surveillance and early warning systems to strengthening laboratory networks and cross-sectoral collaboration.

This success is very timely for the Philippines, a country that topped the World Risk Index for the third consecutive year. The rapid decline in biodiversity —driven by deforestation, ecosystem destruction and habitat loss — has triggered the emergence and re-emergence of transboundary animal diseases (TAD) and zoonoses, or diseases transmitted between species, such as from animal to human.

In addition, the misuse of antimicrobials has also fueled the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) — a hidden yet growing threat. Often called the “silent pandemic,” AMR continues to advance unnoticed until its devastating effects are felt, compounding food security risks and socioeconomic challenges.

This project will thus mark a pivotal step in fully implementing the One Health approach in the Philippines. One Health is a framework that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. It is crucial because diseases don’t respect borders — whether geographical, species, or ecological.

By fostering collaboration across sectors, from agriculture to health and environmental management, the One Health approach helps to better detect, prevent, and respond to health threats like zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance, and transboundary animal diseases. Ultimately, One Health is not just about addressing health risks but about building a resilient system that protects the well-being of people, animals and ecosystems alike.

This success is also a collective achievement, a testament to the power of collaboration. By building on the shared expertise of its national stakeholders, the Philippines has harnessed the mutual enrichment of public health and sustainable agricultural practices.

With FAO’s leadership in sustainable agriculture, and the World Bank’s strategic investment support, this partnership has also created a powerful synergy, culminating in the awarding of the grant to the consortium.

The Pandemic Fund was launched in 2022 by the G20 composed of the world’s biggest economies as a direct response to the global vulnerabilities exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. It finances critical investments aimed at strengthening pandemic preparedness and resilience in the most at-risk countries. More than just a funding mechanism, this initiative provides governments with a crucial opportunity to institutionalize and sustain their efforts towards building long-term pandemic resilience and health security.

For us, this is just the beginning. Now is the time for all sectors — government, private industry, and civil society — to rally behind this momentum and invest in sustainable, resilient systems that will protect our future.

We must scale up our efforts to integrate One Health principles and the Sustainable Development Goals of the Agenda 2030 across all levels, strengthen partnerships, and secure more innovative funding to face the evolving threats to human, animal, and environmental health. The success of this project shows what is possible when we act collectively, but the real test will be our ability to sustain and expand this progress for generations to come, leaving no one behind

(Dr. Lionel Dabbadie is the FAO Representative in the Philippines. ECTAD is the FAO unit founded in 2004 and established in the Philippines in 2022 that implements relevant initiatives to attain economic, social, and health security from TADs and other health threats.)