There are several issues in the Philippine healthcare system, and these are a few of them:

Public hospitals are underfunded, especially in rural areas. I live in a small town in the province with only one public hospital on its premises. I have heard so many complaints from people who have been admitted there about how limited their services and resources are and how the facilities lack proper maintenance. Most of the time, patients are referred to and confine themselves to private hospitals in Dumaguete. I think this circumstance leaves the patients and their families in a tight position and subjects them to further detriments, as the travel time from my town to the city is approximately two hours. Additionally, as the locals in my town are rather underprivileged, confinement in a private hospital would entail financial constraints and issues. Such a circumstance then makes access to healthcare a luxury or privilege, rather than a right. Although there are health insurance plans like PhilHealth, they do not fully cover medical expenses.

Moreover, the Philippines has been experiencing a “brain drain” since the 1970s, primarily due to the migration of highly-skilled professionals. This is probably because most health professionals are not well-appreciated and well-compensated here in the Philippines. I would like to relate this to the career I am currently pursuing. Medical technologists are the backbone of the medical field, as they aid physicians in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of diseases. But despite the significance of the role that they play, their average monthly salary is only somewhere below P20,000 (as per most RMTs) if you are inexperienced. Imagine having tuition fees ranging from P50,000 to P80,000 per semester for a four-year program, only to barely afford rent, food, and other necessities thereafter.

Health systems:
https://www.physio-pedia.com/Health_Care_Systems
Philippine health system:
https://www.futurelearn.com/info/futurelearn-international/an-introduction-to-the-healthcare-system-in-the-philippines
Primary health care:
https://www.who.int/health-topics/primary-health-care#tab=tab_1