14/10/2025
Buguias RHU Shares Best Practice: Health Financing for a More Resilient Local Health System
In the pursuit of Universal Health Care, health financing is not just about budgets and reimbursementsโitโs about ensuring that every Filipino, regardless of income or geography, can access quality health services without financial hardship. This was viewed to be as the best practice of Buguias Rural Health Unit (RHU) that was shared during the 2025 Universal Health Care Conference held at the Benguet Sports Complex on October 14, 2025 attended by the different LGUs, RHUs, hospitals and other health sectors in the province of Benguet.
Miss Jenny P. Potpotan, Chief Nurse of Northern Benguet District Hospital, formerly a nurse of Buguias RHU did the presentation and she said that everything started when Philhealth introduced its Konsulta package in 2023. It is a primary care benefit that provides Filipinos with free consultations, diagnostic tests and prescribed medicines through accredited providers.
Buguias, a 1st class municipality having 14 barangays has a total population of 47,753 and an estimated household of 12,702 as of 2025. When the program started in 2023, there were 31,796 Konsulta registered clients. The following year, it increased a little bit at 32,520. Then in 2025, it bloomed to 46,063 registered Konsulta clients.
Headed by Dr. Hilda G. Kimakim, the Medical Health Officer, there are 195 health personnel currently servicing the Buguias community. There are 21 permanent and 13 job order LGU hired. These are composed of Dr. Kimakim herself, 1 dentist, 3 nurses, 13 midwives, 1 medical technologist, 1 sanitary inspector, 4 encoders, 1 pharmacist, 1 administrative assistant, 3 administrative aids, 1 nutrition officer and 1 municipal health driver. Also, there are 12 personnel under the DOH program; 1 physician, 5 nurses and 6 midwives. Moreover, there are 123 active Barangay Health Workers and 26 active Barangay Nutrition Scholars.
With these numbers, there are a lot of problems that can be encountered. At the local level, there is a challenge of balancing limited resources with growing health demands. But through strategic planning, data-driven decision-making, and multi-sectoral collaboration, these challenges can be turned into opportunities.
There are five key insights that Buguias RHU identified that helps strengthen their health financing system.
First is Maximizing PhilHealth Benefits. From Konsulta to case rate reimbursements; documentation and claims processes were streamlined to ensure timely and complete collectionsโfueling service delivery and facility upgrades.
Second is Evidence-Based Budgeting. Investment decisions were anchored in actual health dataโutilization rates, population needs, and service gapsโensuring that every peso spent translates to measurable health outcomes.
Next is HRH (Human Resource for Health) and Infrastructure Alignment. Plantilla, facility upgrades, and equipment procurement were aligned with financing streams to avoid duplication and optimize impact.
Another one is Local Budget Integration. By harmonizing the annual operational plans, local investment plan for health, and investment plans with national priorities and financing mechanisms, additional support from DOH, PhilHealth, and development partners were unlocked.
Finally, Community and Stakeholder Engagement. Financing is not just technicalโitโs relational. Trust was built with the communities, barangays, and local leaders to ensure that health investments reflect real needs and shared priorities.
In an interview, Dr. Kimakim stated, โHealth financing is the backbone of a resilient, inclusive, and responsive health system. And as we move forward, let us remember: every well-planned peso is a step closer to equity, sustainability, and better health for all. Health financing is not just about moneyโitโs about equity, dignity, and resilience.โ
During the program, other RHUs also shared their own best practices. Atok RHU talked about Non-Communicable Disease, Bokod RHU covered Communicable Disease, Mankayan RHU shared on Adolescent Health and lastly, Tuba RHU lectured about their Health Policy Making.
