Email liwanaghj@nus.edu.sg

Dr Harvy Joy Liwanag is a Filipino health systems scholar committed to advancing ‘Health for All.’ He does so by interrogating policy questions where the knowledge is used for practical health system reforms. He’s been cited and recognized for his studies on decentralization and his role in developing the national health workforce masterplan of the Philippines. His proposed framework for institutional capacity strengthening in health policy and systems research (HPSR), co-created with partners in Asia, has guided capacity-building initiatives in the Philippines, Nepal, Indonesia, and Cambodia, while his papers on reflexivity and accountability have contributed to discussions about transforming global health. His experience spans academia, government, and international organizations, including as a former scientist at the Philippine Department of Health and a former postdoc at the United Nations University in Malaysia. He currently leads the Philippine Program at the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, where he also teaches the course “Health Systems and Policy: Theory and Practice.” He holds a dual degree of MD, MBA from the Ateneo de Manila University and a PhD in Epidemiology from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute.

• NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health

• Health systems
• Global health
• Knowledge translation
• Evidence mapping
• Qualitative methods

• Analyzing health systems

• PhD in Epidemiology, University of Basel, Switzerland
• Doctor of Medicine and Master of Business Administration (MD, MBA dual degree), Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines
• Bachelor of Science in Biology, Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines

• 2025, Gabay Award from the National Research Council of the Philippines to his research that guided the establishment of the Philippine Network for Health Policy and Systems Research (PN4HPSR).
• 2025, Scholastican Excellence Award in Professional Practice from St. Scholastica’s Academy, Pampanga, Philippines, as a distinguished alumnus of the school in celebration of its 100-year anniversary.
• 2024, Balik Scientist Achievement Award from the Department of Science and Technology of the Philippines for his exceptional contributions to advancing research-to-policy translation to accelerate Universal Health Care in the Philippines.

• 2025 onwards, Senior Research Fellow, NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health
• 2022-2025, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland
• 2024, Visiting Scholar, Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne, Australia
• 2020-2022, Postdoctoral Fellow, United Nations University International Institute for Global Health, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• 2019-2020, Balik Scientist, Department (Ministry) of Health, Manila, Philippines
• 2015-2019, PhD Scholar, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
• 2014-2015, Public Health Leadership Fellow, Ateneo de Manila University School of Medicine and Public Health, Metro Manila, Philippines
• 2012-2014, Research Associate, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
• 2011-2012, Medical Intern, The Medical City General Hospital, Metro Manila, Philippines
• 2007-2011, Medical Student, Ateneo de Manila University School of Medicine and Public Health, Metro Manila, Philippines
• 2007, Executive Assistant, Health Futures Foundation, Metro Manila, Philippines
• 2006-2007, Science Teacher, Ateneo de Manila High School, Metro Manila, Philippines

• 2023-2024, Principal Investigator, Forum for Advancing Better Health Policy and System Research Institutions (FAB-HPSRIs)

• 2024, Learning Partner, Results for Development (R4D) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

2025

• Frahsa A & Liwanag HJ [joint 1st authors], Betancourt CK, Ipekci AM, Minder B, Schow D. A scoping review of community participation in public health research and action during the COVID-19 pandemic: Exploring approaches on the continuum between utilitarianism and empowerment. Soc Sci Med. 2025 Sep 6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118556
• Liwanag HJ, Howard N. Confronting ‘Socio-Political Inertia’ on the long and winding road to ‘Healthy Societies.’ Int J Health Policy Manag. 2025 May 7 (e-published). https://doi.org/10.34172/ijhpm.9150

2024

• Liwanag HJ, Famaloan FRA, Reyes KA, Tamayo RL, Villamater LD, Cabañero-Gasgonia RL, Frahsa AF, Asuncion PJ. A conceptual framework from the Philippines to analyse organizational capacities for health policy and systems research. Health Policy Plann. 2024 July 9;39(8):czae062. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czae062
• Buse K, Liwanag HJ, Koay A, Kedia S, Kiwuwa-Muyingo S, Yoon SY, Hawkes . Strengthening systems of accountability for women’s leadership in the health sector. BMJ. 2024 July 17;386:e078960. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-078960

2023

• Liwanag HJ, James O, Frahsa A. A review and analysis of accountability in global health funding, research collaborations, and training: Towards conceptual clarity and better practice. BMJ Glob Health. 2023 Dec 6;8:e012906. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2023-012906
• Liwanag HJ, Orth Z, Agrawal R, Hebbar P, Agarwal M, Frahsa A, James O, Meyer S, Rao A. Transforming health systems towards holistic outcomes in the G20 and beyond. T20 India Policy Brief. 2023 June. https://t20ind.org/research/transforming-health-systems-towards-holistic-outcomes/
• Punzalan JK, Guingona M, Punzalan MG, Cristobal F, Frahsa A, Liwanag HJ. The integration of primary care and public health in medical students’ training based on social accountability and community-engaged medical education. Int J Public Health. 2023 Jan 26;68:1605359.
  https://doi.org/10.3389/ijph.2023.1605359

2022

• Liwanag HJ, Uy J, Politico MR, Padilla MJ, Arzobal MC, Manuel K, Cagouia AL, Tolentino P, Frahsa A, Ronquillo K. Co-creation in health workforce planning to shape the future of the health care system in the Philippines. Glob Health Sci Pr. 2022 Dec 21;10(6):e2200176. https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-22-00176

2021

• Liwanag HJ, Rhule E. Dialogical reflexivity towards collective action to transform global health. BMJ Glob Health. 2021 Aug 20;6:e006825. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2021-006825

2020

• Liwanag HJ, Wyss K. Who should decide for local health services? A mixed methods study of preferences for decision-making in the decentralized Philippine health system. BMC Health Serv Res. 2020 April 15;20(305). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05174-w

2019

• Liwanag HJ, Wyss K. Optimising decentralisation for the health sector by exploring the synergy of decision space, capacity and accountability: Insights from the Philippines. Health Res Policy Syst. 2019 Jan 10;17(1):4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-018-0402-1

2018

• Liwanag HJ, Wyss K. What conditions enable decentralization to improve the health system? Qualitative analysis of perspectives on decision space after 25 years of devolution in the Philippines. PLoS One. 2018 Nov 5;13(11):e0206809. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0206809
• Becker SL*, Liwanag HJ*, Snyder JS* [*joint 1st authors], Akogun O, Belizario V, Freeman M, Gyorkos TW, Imtiaz R, Keiser J, Krolewiecki A, Levecke B, Mwandawiro C, Pullan RL, Addiss DG, Utzinger J. Toward the 2020 goal of soil-transmitted helminthiasis control and elimination. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2018 Aug 14;12(8):e0006606. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0006606

2017

• Liwanag HJ, Wyss K. Assessing decentralisation is a challenging but necessary task if it should continue as a reform strategy: Reflections from the systematic review by Sumah, Baatiemia, and Abimbola. Health Policy. 2017 Apr;121(4):468-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2017.01.009
• Liwanag HJ, Uy J, Bataller R, Gatchalian J, De La Calzada B, Uy JA, Dayrit M. Soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis in children of poor families in Leyte, Philippines: Lessons for disease prevention and control. J Trop Pediatr. 2017 Oct 1;63(5):335-45. https://doi.org/10.1093/tropej/fmw078

2015

• Belizario V, Liwanag HJ, Naig JR, Chua PL, Madamba M, Dahildahil R. Parasitological and nutritional status of school-age and preschool-age children in four villages in Southern Leyte, Philippines: Lessons for monitoring the outcome of Community-Led Total Sanitation. Acta Trop. 2015 Jan;141(PtA):16-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2014.09.008

2014

• Belizario V, Chua PL, Liwanag HJ, Naig JR, Erfe JM. Soil-transmitted helminthiases in secondary school students in selected sites in two provinces in the Philippines: Policy implications. J Trop Pediatr. 2014 Aug 1;60(4):303-7. https://doi.org/10.1093/tropej/fmu018