PRO-Health continues its strong streak of multi-level advocacy and engagement activities early in 2025. Local G-Watch sites have begun to regroup on how to follow up on commitments generated during their PRO-Health Problem Solving Sessions. Eight (8) regrouping workshops with core groups and key volunteer-monitors were conducted in Puerto Princesa, Naga, Bohol, Dumaguete, Pasig, General Santos with Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP) and Cebu and Tacloban with Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilyang Pantawid (SNPP).
PRO-Health and its network are tracking responses to 222 commitments, ranging from the institution of systems through policy, augmentation of health resources and manpower, and integration of TPA in local health governance. Several tools and trackers are in place to monitor improvements in health units, medicines to be procured and delivered, and setting up hotlines and systems to process citizen feedback. More and more local duty-bearers are gaining awareness and expressing their interest in promoting accountability in their communities.
The work carries on with the local core teams planning on sustainability activities so they can continue their plans and become embedded in their health governance structure. PRO-Health aims to move beyond project timelines, nurturing the spirit of volunteerism among its members to continue exploring health rights advocacy through policy agendas, partnerships with other health-allied groups, becoming a part of local participatory bodies, and sharing their expertise in monitoring among others. Everyone in the PRO-Health network is encouraged to explore means to broaden the network to consolidate citizen demand for improved health services.
At the national level, accountabiliteams are continuing engagements with government agencies and fellow civil society organizations in various priority policy areas: Reproductive Health, Nutrition, Mental Health, Procurement, Budget, and Health Workers. After a successful run of PRO-Health 3rd Learning Exchange in October 2024, several activities have been conducted in support of frontline groups advocating for reform in these areas. Early in January 2025, PRO-Health and the Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilya ng Pantawid (SNPP) organized an updating and agenda-setting session with the Department of Social Welfare and Development about the 4Ps Program. During this session, key plans were made to strengthen the program, tapping SNPP’s network for advocacy, and monitoring the 4Ps grievance redress mechanism (GRS). SNPP is also initiating talks with the National Nutrition Council (NNC) on exploring the representation of mothers in multi sectoral bodies for nutrition.
Leaders of the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines also took part in a discussion with the Philippine Council for Mental Health on addressing the gap in youth and student participation in mental health policy-making. The PCMH Secretariat extended an invitation to PRO-Health via SCAP to join their Technical Committees with non-government organizations.
G-Watch and PRO-Health were invited to again attend the DOH CSO Budget Consultation for FY 2026 with the Alternative Budget Initiative-Health Cluster. Volunteers are keen to monitor the implementation of the 2025 health budget, as well as big-ticket procurement items relating to reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH).
Last April 21, all local coordinators and the G-Watch Center team had an online Kamustahan to review plans and ongoing activities of PRO-Health in the sites. Most of the discussions centered on the preparations for the TPA-Enabled Health Units Workshops set to take place in June-July. Though the election is being a challenge for some sites to operate (safety concern in BARMM and two allies competing as mayor in Puerto Princesa), advocacy and engagement continues with some substantive wins. G-Watch Puerto Princesa LANIAG is set to co-host with Multiply-Ed the first-ever Youth Assembly for Mental Health in cooperation with Palawan Mental Health Association and City Health Office. G-Watch Naga continues their engagement in the local budget process and was represented in the Naga Youth Summit that was just held. Dumaguete has completed their adolescent health monitoring and is set to process and identify key findings and recommendations.
This is only the start of a productive year of advocacy for the PRO-Health network, with energized local site core groups and national accountabilitieams eager to promote TPA in health.
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