𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐓𝐎 𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇 𝐒𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐌 💜

Healthcare begins where the people are.

This was the message of Gov. Pamela Baricuatro as she welcomed municipal health officers, physicians and healthcare leaders from across the Philippines to Cebu for the 73rd Annual National Convention of the Association of Municipal Health Officers of the Philippines (AMHOP), held from September 28 to October 2, 2026.

With the theme “Empowering Primary Health Care Providers to Lead a Community-Responsive, Equitable, Bridging, and Unified Health System,” the convention brings together frontline health leaders to strengthen grassroots healthcare delivery, exchange best practices, recognize outstanding work through the GAWAD AMHOP and Innovation Awards, and align local health priorities with the country’s Universal Health Care goals.

In her keynote address, Gov. Pam emphasized the crucial role of municipal health officers as the bridge between health policies and the everyday realities of families and communities.

“Healthcare begins in the community. Before a patient reaches a provincial hospital, very often it is the municipal health officer and the local health team who first see the patient, understand the family, know the community, and respond to what is happening on the ground,” she said.

The Governor also shared Cebu’s continuing work toward a more integrated healthcare system. The Provincial Government is moving closer to establishing a Special Health Fund, with ₱20 million committed as seed funding, while also expressing Cebu’s intention to participate in the Department of Health’s pilot implementation of Universal Health Care.

These efforts complement Cebu’s broader push to strengthen primary care and connect local health facilities with provincial hospitals so patients can receive the appropriate level of care closer to their communities.

“Our goal is simple: Wherever a Cebuano lives, whatever his or her economic status may be, quality healthcare should be within reach,” Gov. Pam said.

The convention also brought attention to the people behind the healthcare system. AMHOP National President Dr. Sam Joseph C. Cirilo highlighted the mental health challenges and often-unseen struggles experienced by municipal doctors working under resource constraints, encouraging healthcare workers to recognize their own well-being while continuing to care for others.

Dr. Cesar Carillo, chairperson of the 73rd Annual National Convention, meanwhile, underscored AMHOP’s continuing role as a platform for grassroots medicine and in empowering primary healthcare practitioners to become active drivers of health policy, innovation and stronger health systems.

Joining the gathering were key Department of Health officials, including Assistant Secretary Dr. Ariel Valencia, DOH-7 Regional Director Dr. Joshua Brillantes and Dr. Roel A. Costabar, along with other health officials and district health department heads.

Throughout the multi-day convention, delegates are participating in technical sessions, policy forums and peer exchanges covering improved access to medical services, expanded surgical and diagnostic missions, and stronger alignment between local health agendas and national UHC targets.

For Gov. Pam, achieving Universal Health Care cannot happen through hospitals alone. It requires empowering the health professionals who know their communities best and building a system where national government, the Province, LGUs, primary healthcare facilities and hospitals work together for the patient.

Because when healthcare starts strong in the community, fewer Cebuanos have to travel farther just to receive the care they need.