Health Secretary Jose "Brix" Pujalte Jr. said international support for the country's Universal Health Care (UHC) program is a critical asset in strengthening the healthcare workforce and improving access to medicines and vaccines at the local level.

This came after Japan extended a USD187.82 million loan, or approximately P11.53 billion, to help strengthen the Philippines' implementation of the UHC program.

Pujalte said that while the official signing of the multi-billion-dollar loan agreement was undertaken by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the funding aligns with his policy directives and strategic vision for the Department of Health (DOH).

The health chief described the DOH as a "work in progress," noting that one of his administration's key priorities is addressing bottlenecks in the distribution of medicines and vaccines to regional hospitals.

He said the Japan loan's focus on the integrated delivery of quality health services provides the structural support needed to improve these supply chains.

Pujalte also identified the expansion of the Zero Balance Billing initiative to local government unit (LGU) hospitals as one of his core priorities.

He said this objective relies heavily on the loan's focus on sustainable financing and strategic purchasing to ensure that the country's poorest households do not shoulder out-of-pocket expenses during hospitalization.

To ensure that major financial assistance packages, such as the Japan loan, are used transparently and efficiently, Pujalte recently created a Council of Experts, also known as the Council of Elders, composed of former DOH secretaries.

He said the council's institutional knowledge would help ensure that systemic UHC reforms remain "anchored on continuity, good governance, and a clearer and more tangible impact on the lives of Filipinos."

Pujalte also noted his familiarity with Japan's healthcare system, having completed advanced medical fellowship training in Japan, as well as in the United States and the United Kingdom, before serving as head of the Philippine Orthopedic Center.