UHC coverage grows to 114 sites nationwide

The Department of Health (DOH) reported Friday, 6 November, that the number of Universal Health Care (UHC) integration sites nationwide has increased to 114, covering 95 percent of the country's provinces, highly urbanized cities and independent component cities.

The figure represents a substantial expansion from 58 integration sites in 2020, following the passage of the Universal Health Care Act in 2019. The number stood at 104 in August 2025.

UHC integration sites connect local health centers, hospitals and other medical facilities to improve coordination, patient referrals and access to affordable health care.

The DOH said the expansion reflects stronger cooperation among national agencies and local governments in implementing the country's health care reforms.

During the UHC Summit on 5 November, Health Secretary Edwin Mercado emphasized the critical role of local government units in strengthening primary care services and improving health care delivery.

The summit brought together representatives from the World Health Organization, Philippine Health Insurance Corp., Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines and other government agencies.

Participants discussed ways to improve health financing, referral systems and local health services to make quality medical care more accessible to Filipinos.