The Provincial Health Board held its monthly meeting on March 23, 2026, at the PGO Old Conference Hall to discuss ways to improve healthcare services across the province.
Presided over by Atty. Byron Suyot, the meeting focused on a “bottom-up” approach, meaning that health programs should start by meeting the specific needs of people from the barangay level.
One of the main goals discussed was making sure every resident has a digital profile using the Community-Based Monitoring System. By keeping this data updated, the government can see exactly how many people need medicine for conditions like diabetes or hypertension in every barangay. This helps the province allocate the right budget and ensures that no town runs out of essential supplies.
The board also encouraged local governments to make better use of PhilHealth.
They are working hard to get more local health centers accredited so that citizens can easily access free or affordable maintenance medicines through the PhilHealth Gamot program. The goal is to make healthcare as accessible as possible so that people don’t have to travel far for their basic medical needs.
On the topic of nutrition, Dr. Catalino P. Dotollo, Jr. reported that while malnutrition rates are going down, the progress is slow. Stunting—where children are shorter than they should be for their age—is still a concern, especially in Borongan, though the numbers there are improving quickly. The province is also dealing with “wasting,” where children are underweight for their height.
Sanitation was another high priority. The board is preparing for a Water Sanitation Summit in the second quarter of this year. They want to ensure that every household has its own toilet and that waste is handled properly through treatment plants. This move is aimed at protecting the province’s water sources and preventing the spread of diseases.
Finally, the board approved several important agreements to strengthen local health funding and protection for the community. This included a resolution to better protect women and children at home and in the community. They also moved to give the governor the authority to sign agreements that will bring more national health funding into Eastern Samar for 2026. (SEJ-JDM)
