UPCPH Program for Health Equity

The Program for Health Equity Newsletter | January–June 2026

We are excited to share the inaugural issue of the Program for Health Equity (PHE) Newsletter!

This first issue highlights the Program's milestones, partnerships, research initiatives, and capacity-building efforts from January to June 2026. It reflects our shared commitment to advancing health equity through research, collaboration, policy engagement, and knowledge sharing.

As we look back on the first half of the year, we are grateful to our partners, collaborators, and stakeholders whose support and dedication continue to make this work possible. Together, we are helping build healthier, more equitable communities.

We invite you to browse our newsletter and learn more about our ongoing initiatives and the work we do to promote health equity in the Philippines.

Together for health equity. Together for every Filipino.

🌐 Visit our website: https://sites.google.com/up.edu.ph/phe-upm/home

📩 We'd love to hear from you! If you have any questions or would like to collaborate with us, feel free to send us a message through our page or email us at [email protected].

The UPCPH Program for Health Equity extends its heartfelt congratulations to its home institution, the College of Public Health, University of the Philippines, on its well-deserved recognition as the recipient of the 2026 UP Gawad Pangulo sa Natatanging Akademikong Institusyon.

This remarkable achievement reflects the College's unwavering commitment to excellence in education, research, public service, and leadership. May this recognition further inspire our shared mission of advancing health equity and improving the health and well-being of all Filipinos.

Congratulations once again on this well-deserved honor!

𝗝𝝾𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝝾𝗿 𝗮 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝝾𝗻 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝝾𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲: 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀

The Office of International and Local Linkages and the College of Public Health are pleased to invite all interested participants to a special lecture entitled "Purpose in the Unpredictable: Crafting a Public Health Career that Matters." The aim of the lecture is to share global health experiences and the lessons learned from both the shortcomings and achievements of the Korean health‑care system. It will focus on finding resilience, recognizing serendipitous opportunities, and learning to appreciate and dream beyond the expected.

The special lecture will be delivered by Dr. Jong-Su Ryu, a renowned Professor at the Graduate School of Public Health of Yonsei University, South Korea. Dr. Ryu has traveled to and lectured in more than 50 countries, focusing on global health topics and the empowerment of young professionals. He has also managed various global health consultation projects commissioned by the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Health Organization, and the Government of the Republic of Korea.

The lecture will take place on June 11, 2026, 9:30 AM at the Unilab Conference Room, located on the 6th Floor of the Henry Sy Sr. Medical Science Building at UP Manila. For those unable to attend in person, the lecture will also be livestreamed
concurrently via Zoom.

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝝾𝘄! Scan the QR code below or click the given link:

𝝤𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲: https://bit.ly/4x9ucfX
𝝤𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 (Zoom): https://bit.ly/4x9C0ON

PHE Convenes First Advisory Board Meeting for 2026

The Program for Health Equity (PHE) of the University of the Philippines Manila convened its Advisory Board on March 27, 2026, with participation from the University of the Philippines Manila (College of Public Health, College of Medicine, UHC Study Group), Zuellig Family Foundation, Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations, Department of Health, and PhilHealth.

Read more: https://sites.google.com/up.edu.ph/phe-upm/news/2026/first-advisory-board-meeting-2026

UPCPH Program for Health Equity Convenes Technical Working Group to Refine Research Agenda

The Technical Working Group (TWG) of the Program for Health Equity (PHE), College of Public Health, University of the Philippines Manila, convened on February 27, 2026, to refine and prioritize the program’s research agenda following its Annual Planning held earlier this year. The meeting served as an important step in aligning the program’s research directions with its realigned mandate and in strengthening coordination for the next two years.

Read more: https://sites.google.com/up.edu.ph/phe-upm/our-work/news/twg-meeting

The College of Public Health, University of the Philippines’ (UP-CPH) Dr. Stephen Zuellig Program for Health Leadership and Governance (DSZPHLG) and the Program for Health Equity (PHE) made a benchmarking visit to the University of the Philippines-National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP NCPAG). During the visit, information was obtained on UP-NCPAG's experience and insights in transforming programs into centers, the documentation needed, the common challenges encountered during the approval process, and notable practices for ensuring long-term sustainability.
Dr. Fernando B. Garcia Jr., CPH Dean; and Dr. Kristoffer B. Berse, NCPAG Dean, also used the opportunity to discuss how the two Colleges' existing collaborations could be strengthened to better support the country’s Local Government Units.

PHE Convenes Biannual Planning Workshop to Set 2026–2027 Priorities

The Program for Health Equity (PHE) of the University of the Philippines Manila convened its Biannual Operational Planning Workshop last January 16, 2026, at the College of Medicine. The workshop brought together members of its Technical Working Group and Advisory Board to review accomplishments, identify implementation gaps, and set strategic directions for 2026–2027 in support of advancing health equity under Universal Health Care (UHC).

Read more: https://sites.google.com/up.edu.ph/phe-upm/our-work/news/biannual-planning-2026-2027