Christy Balita
Research expert covering the Philippines
Healthcare in the Philippines - statistics & facts
Thanks to the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act of 2019, Filipinos will now be automatically enrolled in a National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) administered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth). The UHC resulted in an increased public spending on health, from less than five percent to about six percent of the country’s GDP in 2023. The law also aims to reduce the out-of-pocket health expenditure of Filipinos, allow for the expansion of health facilities, and increase the availability of medical professionals, especially in rural areas. However, such improvements as the UHC continue to face challenges in implementation.
The current healthcare approach leans more toward curative rather than preventive care. In fact, spending on preventive care accounted for just four percent of the current health expenditure share in 2023. Before the implementation of the universal healthcare law, Filipino households used to cover more than half of their health expenses out-of-pocket, which was a significant burden to low-income families. Because of this, some patients tend to seek alternative cures instead of seeking professional help. Others refuse to get medical help because of financial constraints. In fact, more than half of the registered deaths in the Philippines in 2022 were unattended by a healthcare provider.
The UHC is an important development in the healthcare sector, especially among low-income families and communities with limited access to basic health services. However, additional health facilities and medical professionals are needed, especially in far-flung areas. In addition, higher salaries and benefits should be provided to healthcare professionals to give them more reason to work in the country.
State of health
With an average life expectancy of 72 years, the Philippines ranked sixth in Southeast Asia when it comes to life expectancies at birth in 2023. In that same year, preliminary figures identified ischaemic heart disease as the leading cause of death. This was associated with the Filipino diet, which was characterized as having a high fat and salt content. The nation has also seen rising levels of obesity, especially between the ages of 20 and 59. On the other hand, smoking and binge drinking have been reportedly slowing down recently. Cancer and cerebrovascular diseases were also among the leading causes of death among Filipinos.The current healthcare approach leans more toward curative rather than preventive care. In fact, spending on preventive care accounted for just four percent of the current health expenditure share in 2023. Before the implementation of the universal healthcare law, Filipino households used to cover more than half of their health expenses out-of-pocket, which was a significant burden to low-income families. Because of this, some patients tend to seek alternative cures instead of seeking professional help. Others refuse to get medical help because of financial constraints. In fact, more than half of the registered deaths in the Philippines in 2022 were unattended by a healthcare provider.
Access to health facilities
Aside from lowering healthcare expenditures, the UHC aims to expand the presence of medical facilities to address concerns about unequal access, especially in rural and far-flung areas. In 2023, there were nearly 40,100 health facilities in the Philippines, with the majority being barangay health stations, or those located in villages or local districts. While the ratio of the population to health centers has shown significant improvement, the number of health facilities remains disproportionate across regions.Supply of medical professionals
Meanwhile, better opportunities in foreign countries have continuously affected the number of healthcare professionals in the Philippines, especially nurses, with Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom being their leading destination. Monthly salaries of entry-level nurses in Saudi Arabia can go as high as 109,000 Philippine compared to the average salary of around 23,000 and 33,000 Philippine pesos in the Philippines. The distribution of health professionals among the population was also significantly imbalanced, as in the case of the ratio of active barangay health workers in Metro Manila, which was about eight times higher than the national average. The demand for medical practitioners in the country remains high, and certain measures need to be implemented to reduce the chances of them leaving the country while ensuring that their needs are also being met.The UHC is an important development in the healthcare sector, especially among low-income families and communities with limited access to basic health services. However, additional health facilities and medical professionals are needed, especially in far-flung areas. In addition, higher salaries and benefits should be provided to healthcare professionals to give them more reason to work in the country.
