On 16 September 2026, the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (NUS SSHSPH) and the Southeast Asia Regional Collaborative for Health (SEARCH) joined the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) for the forum, “Financing Better Health: Local Evidence and Regional Lessons for Universal Health Care,” held at the Marco Polo Hotel in Manila, Philippines. The forum was organised by PIDS and co-hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), NUS SSHSPH, SEARCH, and CMB Foundation, in collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH) Philippines and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
The forum brought together around 150 policymakers, academics, health financing experts, development partners and civil society representatives to explore how financing and purchasing reforms can improve the quality, efficiency, equity and financial protection of health services.
The forum opened with remarks from PIDS President Philip Arnold P. Tuaño, NUS SSHSPH Dean Yik-Ying Teo, DOH Acting Secretary Edwin M. Mercado, and PhilHealth President and CEO Beverly Lorraine C. Ho, setting the stage for discussions on the role of strategic purchasing in advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the Philippines.
The first two themes focused on integrating health financing arrangements and strengthening provider payment and remuneration systems. Researchers from PIDS presented new evidence on fragmented financing, local government health spending, physician professional fees, and provider responses to reimbursement reforms, complemented by perspectives from Philippine and international experts.
The third theme, “Towards Stronger Regional Collaboration for Data, Evidence, and Innovation,” was facilitated by NUS SSHSPH, together with BRIDGE (Building Regional Insights and Data for Governance and Health Equity) Network members, with NUS SSHSPH also serving as the Network’s Secretariat. Associate Professor Piya Hanvoravongchai opened the session with a presentation titled “Better Data, Better Purchasing, Better Health: Regional Opportunities for Collaboration and Learning,” introducing BRIDGE and highlighting the role of regional cooperation in strengthening health systems and the use of data and evidence for policymaking.
This was followed by a panel discussion moderated by NUS Assistant Professor Kiesha Prem of SEARCH, featuring perspectives from Thakshapon Thamarangsi of the CMB Foundation, Rouselle F. Lavado of ADB, Chansaly Phommavong of the Ministry of Health of Lao PDR, Lindsley Jeremiah Villarante of DOH Philippines, and Due Ong The of the Health Strategy and Policy Institute in Viet Nam. Panelists discussed how cross-country learning, stronger health information systems, and regional collaboration can support strategic purchasing reforms and improve health system performance.
The forum concluded with closing remarks and a discussion on ways forward led by Eduardo Banzon, Director of ADB’s Health Practice Team, and Roger Glass, President of the CMB Foundation.
The forum underscored the importance of strategic purchasing in translating health financing into better health outcomes and greater value for money. It also provided a platform for regional exchange and collaboration on health financing and health system strengthening across Southeast Asia.
This collaboration reflects NUS SSHSPH’s continued commitment to advancing evidence-informed policymaking, regional partnerships, and knowledge exchange to address shared health system challenges in Southeast Asia.