Uniting Leadership Across Sectors

With Dr. Serren Lor V. Gallinero (Acting Chief of Hospital, Dr. Catalino Gallego Nava Medical Center) as the master of ceremonies, the event brought together key institutional partners dedicated to transforming health service delivery in Guimaras.

The program opened with welcome remarks from Governor Ma. Lucille L. Nava, M.D., who concurrently chairs the Provincial Health Board (PHB). Organizational messages followed from key leadership: Fr. Bienvenido "Father Ben" Nebres, S.J. (Chairman, PFEH) and Dr. Felix Ray P. Villa (President and CEO, TMCI). Prior to the formal signing, Dr. Helena Marie "Lena" Alvior (Project Manager and Technical Advisor, PFEH) presented an overview of the Tripartite MOU and the implementation framework for the Guimaras Unified Health Network (GUHN).

Serving as official witnesses to the MOU were Dr. NL Cathrel A. Nava, Provincial Health Officer II, whose office convenes the Project Core Team, and Dr. Serren Lor V. Gallinero. PFEH was represented at the signing by Dr. Marife Yap (Vice-Chair and Trustee), Ms. Margaret Bengzon (Treasurer), Dr. Theo Prudencio Juhani Capeding (Executive Director), Ms. Mary Camille Samson (Project Associate), and Ms. Rosario Dizon (Project Assistant), all of whom joined the subsequent discussion.

Members of the Community Advisory Group (CAG) were also present. The CAG was organized through the efforts of the Foundation to strengthen responsiveness by involving community representatives directly in the design of PFEH initiatives on the island.

Fr. Ben Nebres: A Vision Grounded in Community Action and Public-Private Collaboration

In his message during the ceremony, PFEH Chairman Fr. Bienvenido "Father Ben" Nebres, S.J. expressed deep gratitude for the courage of local leaders in Guimaras. Drawing from decades of work with poor communities in Gawad Kalinga, Sulu, and the CARAGA region, Fr. Ben emphasized that true health equity starts by facing health gaps directly and building solutions from the ground up.

"My first message is really to congratulate and thank everybody who’s involved in this work... I am very aware of the challenge of health. We are very appreciative of all the work that you do to make Universal Health Care work. You come together as a community, identify the gaps that have to be addressed—it takes a lot of courage to do that. But to formulate solutions from the ground, it is much easier for you to come together to find solutions. It is a great achievement because it is not easy to work together, but through working together we can achieve these results."
— Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, S.J., Chairman, PFEH

Fr. Ben underscored the significance of bridging the public and private sectors, noting that mobilizing all available resources is necessary to tackle the country’s health challenges.

He also paid tribute to the late Dr. Alfredo "Alran" Bengzon, former Secretary of Health and co-founder of both the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health and PFEH:
"This foundation was the last institution built by Dr. Alfredo 'Alran' Bengzon... Coming together is also a tribute to Doc Bengzon who recently passed away, in order for us to achieve this vision of 'Health for all Filipinos.' We look forward to this opportunity and will do our best to help within our means to build a network where public and private sectors address these immensely challenging problems together."

One Signature. Three Solution Tracks.

The Tripartite MOU establishes a solid framework for the continuing work on the GUHN across three operational pillars:

Integrated Service Delivery Network (Public-Private Complementation): Formalizes referral connections among local primary care facilities, public hospitals, and TMCI. TMCI provides diagnostics, teleconsultation, and pharmacy supply services that are not currently available in Guimaras. This track lays the foundation for upcoming Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

Community-Responsive Health Governance: Identifies the barriers that keep vulnerable families from registering for and using PhilHealth primary care benefits. Registration and utilization determine the capitation payments that fund local primary care delivery. Provides for Community Advisory Group participation in the Provincial Health Board and municipal Local Health Boards.

Sustainable Island Health Financing: Redesigning the Guimaras Health Insurance Program (GHIP) using lived-experience data and financial analysis to safeguard households against catastrophic health spending.

Aligning Local Leadership and Health Equity

This strategic partnership complements Governor Ma. Lucille L. Nava’s Kabataan FIRST 2.0 Agenda, which prioritizes inclusive, responsive, and people-centered healthcare for Guimaras.

"We are very much excited for this partnership, and we are hopeful that we will be able to further our vision of efficient healthcare service delivery to our people," expressed Governor Nava during the signing.

By anchoring PFEH’s technical support and TMCI’s specialized clinical services within the province's local health goals, the collaboration ensures that institutional leadership and community-driven action move forward together.

Moving Forward: Quality Care Within Reach

For PFEH, this partnership reflects our core belief that quality care should be guided by community needs rather than economic or geographical barriers. By uniting the Provincial Government, TMCI, and PFEH, the GUHN is building a health system where every Guimarasnon is empowered to seek quality healthcare without financial hardship.