THE 19th Davao City Council passed on Tuesday, October 27, a resolution for the City Government to create a Special Health Fund intended for citywide health services, pursuant to the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act.
Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, committee chairperson on health, filed the resolution in accordance with Republic Act No. 11223 or the UHC Act.
According to Chapter 5, Section 20 of the UHC Act, the Special Health Fund is a province-wide or citywide health system that pools all resources intended for health services used to finance population-based and individual-based health services.
The Special Fund will also manage health systems operating costs, capital investments and remuneration of additional health workers and incentives for all health workers.
The UHC Act states the city will be coordinating with the (DOH) and the Department of Budget and Management in the creation of the guidelines for the local health fund.
The Health Care Act also states that “all income derived from PhilHealth payments shall accrue to the Special Health Fund to be allocated by the local government exclusively for the improvement of the local government's health system, provided that all PhilHealth payments shall be credited to the annual regular income of the local government.”
The City Health Board will be managing the Health Fund and will exercise administrative and technical supervision over health facilities and human resources within their territorial jurisdiction.
"The UHC Act local health integration, the creation of the Special Health Fund ensures a more strategic and efficient pooling and management of health resources, provides appropriate incentives and financing mechanisms, ensures transparency and proper accountability on the use of health resolution," Villauerte said.
The councilor said the City Government has prepared for its implementation by issuing Executive Order No. 45-2020, reconstituting the composition of the Local Health Board (LHB).
The councilor added her resolution was in accordance with LHB resolution dated September 30, calling for the city to create a Special Health Fund Account pursuant to the UHC Act for purposes of income payments from PhilHealth.
The council passed the resolution, which will be referred to as the local finance committee.