RICT pushes for Cordi LGUs to fill health workforce gaps

BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The Regional Implementation and Coordination Team -Cordillera (RICT-CAR) has approved a resolution enjoining all local government units (LGUs) in the region to fully implement Department of Health (DOH) and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) programs and complete their required health human resource complement.
Victor Delposo Jr., Planning Officer II of DOH- CAR, presented the resolution, which seeks to address uneven program implementation and continuing gaps in health personnel across the region that hinder access to quality health services.
Gaps in service delivery hamper UHC goals
The resolution is anchored on the state’s obligation to ensure equitable access to health services, especially for communities in the underserved and unserved areas. While the 1991 Local Government Code devolved basic health services to LGUs, variations in local capacity, fiscal priorities, and workforce availability have left several municipalities doctorless or with insufficient staff.
This shortfall has affected compliance with DOH service standards and PhilHealth accreditation requirements, preventing eligible residents from fully accessing benefit packages such as the Maternity Care Package, Animal Bite Treatment Package, TB-DOTS, and Outpatient HIV/AIDS Treatment, even with automatic coverage under the Universal Health Care Act.
“The absence of Municipal Health Officers and essential health workers undermines the integration of local health systems and weakens our ability to meet national health targets under the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, National Objective for Health, and DOH Health Sector Strategy 2023-2028,” Delposo noted.
Joint DOH-PhilHealth push highlights urgent workforce need
During the July 7, 2025, coordination meeting between DOH-CHD CAR and PhilHealth CAR, both agencies emphasized that full implementation of national programs and benefit packages depends on adequately staffed rural health units (RHUs). The meeting flagged the urgent need for LGUs, particularly doctorless municipalities, to prioritize hiring health personnel.
PhilHealth CAR Regional Vice President Dominga Gadgad shared that the region has yet to achieve 100 percent accreditation for the YAKAP benefit package due to four areas without doctors.
Some LGUs say there are no applicants for doctor positions, but they need to show proof by posting vacancies at least three times,” Gadgad said. She added that while some Abra LGUs have grown reliant on DOH’s Doctors to the Barrios Program, they must now take responsibility for hiring their own staff.
Gadgad also highlighted the challenge of reaching residents in remote areas, noting that even with district hospitals, outskirt communities lack direct access to doctors.
Resolution to be elevated to RSDC, RDC for stronger support
The RICT will present the resolution first to the Regional Social Development Committee and subsequently to the Regional Development Council. This will allow the regional body to provide guidance on how to effectively push LGUs to address workforce gaps. **MAWC/PIA-CAR