By: Dr. Ralph Marco Flores, City Health Office - Puerto Princesa City
Allow me to first acknowledge Ms. Joy Aceron and the entire G-Watch team, our partners from G-Watch LANIAG, PRO-Health, our colleagues in government, members of civil society organizations, fellow health professionals, community leaders, and everyone joining us today.
Thank you for inviting me to be part of this year's State of Health Report.
I stand before you today not only as a physician or a public servant, but as someone who believes that one of the greatest strengths of government is the humility to listen.
For a long time, we have measured success by the number of programs implemented, facilities constructed, or reports submitted. While these are important, I believe there is another measure of success—our willingness to hear the voices of the people we serve and to allow those voices to shape the way we govern.
That is why I have always been an ally of third-party assessment mechanisms.
To me, third-party assessments are not merely evaluation tools. They are platforms that amplify the voices of civil society. They create opportunities for communities to tell us what is working, what is not, and what matters most to them. They remind us that government does not have all the answers and that meaningful solutions emerge when citizens are recognized as partners, not merely beneficiaries.
This is why I deeply appreciate the work of G-Watch.
By convening this activity, G-Watch demonstrates that transparency is not about exposing weaknesses—it is about creating opportunities to improve. It shows that accountability is not about assigning blame—it is about taking shared responsibility for better outcomes. And it reminds us that trust is built when government is willing to listen, respond, and learn.
These principles are not new to us in health.
In fact, they are at the very heart of primary health care.
Primary health care teaches us that people should not simply receive services—they should participate in shaping them. It recognizes that communities understand their own realities and that their experiences are essential in designing health programs that truly respond to their needs.
This is also one of the guiding principles of the Universal Health Care Act. Universal health care is not only about expanding access to services or strengthening financing. It is about building a health system that is people-centered—one that values participation, equity, responsiveness, and dignity.
That is why I welcome third-party assessments. They are not interruptions to governance; they are an essential part of good governance. They provide an avenue for civil society to contribute meaningfully, ensuring that our decisions are informed not only by statistics and technical expertise but also by the lived experiences of our communities.
Personally, I have seen what happens when government chooses to listen.
One of the areas closest to my heart is mental health. Over the past several years, we have made meaningful progress in strengthening mental health services in Puerto Princesa. We have institutionalized our Mental Health Clinic and continue to expand community-based mental health services because we have recognized a need that communities themselves helped bring to light.
We have also continued strengthening our Barangay Health Stations because quality health care begins where people live. Every improvement in our primary care facilities represents our commitment to making health services more accessible, equitable, and responsive.
These achievements remind me of one simple truth.
It is possible.
It is possible for government to be transparent without being defensive.
It is possible for civil society and government to engage as partners.
It is possible for constructive feedback to become better policies and better public services.
And it is possible to build trust when we choose dialogue over defensiveness, collaboration over division, and listening over assumption.
These are not just aspirations. They are realities that I have witnessed in our own work.
So today, I would like to thank Ms. Joy Aceron, the G-Watch team, G-Watch LANIAG, PRO-Health, and all our partners for continuing to create spaces where communities can speak and where government can listen.
Thank you for reminding us that transparency is not an end in itself. It is the beginning of accountability. Accountability strengthens trust. And trust allows us to build a health system that truly belongs to the people.
As we continue our journey toward universal health care, I hope we never lose sight of the principle that brought us here: people-centeredness. Because when people are heard, policies become more responsive. When communities participate, programs become more effective. And when government and civil society work together, meaningful change becomes possible.
So let us continue proving—not just today, but every day—that it is possible.
It is possible to govern with transparency.
It is possible to lead with accountability.
It is possible to place people at the center of every decision.
And it is possible to build a healthier, more compassionate, and more equitable Philippines when government and civil society choose to walk this journey together.
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