Quezon City, September 15, 2025 — The RESist-NCD (Resilient and Equitable Systems for Non-Communicable Diseases) Program was formally launched at the Luxent Hotel, gathering national and international stakeholders committed to strengthening the Philippines’ response to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The event, moderated by Dr. Renzo Guinto, convened leaders from the Department of Health (DOH), Australian Government (DFAT), Philippine Society for Public Health Physicians (PSPHP), academia, and civil-society partners to mark a milestone in advancing NCD prevention and care.

Opening Segment

The launch opened with welcome remarks from Dr. Gabriele Domingo (DOH), who highlighted the government’s full commitment to addressing NCDs such as hypertension and diabetes through prevention, early detection, and stronger inter-sectoral collaboration. Dr. Domingo emphasized that strengthening partnerships with academia and private stakeholders will spark greater synergy for better health outcomes for all Filipinos.

Program Overview

Prof. Rohina Joshi delivered the introductory presentation on the RESist-NCD initiative, highlighting its partnership with the DOH and funding support from DFAT through the Australian Government’s Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative. Implemented across Fiji, Cambodia, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines, the three-year program aims to co-create health systems that are resilient, inclusive, and climate-responsive.

Key activities include contextual analysis, implementation of WHO PEN interventions, gender and disability inclusion (GEDSI), and long-term systems evaluation up to 2028.

Messages of Support

Representatives from partner institutions expressed strong alignment with RESist-NCD’s vision:

• Dr. Gabriele Domingo (DOH) affirmed the department’s support in advancing equitable, people-centered NCD care and integrating GEDSI principles across programs.
• Mr. Peter Adams (DFAT) reiterated Australia’s commitment to a five-year health partnership with the Philippines, emphasizing shared learning and sustainable reforms.
• Dr. Michael Caampued (PSPHP) recognized the importance of system-level learning, decentralization, and the need to balance health-systems strengthening with programmatic implementation.

Policy Context and NCD Situation

A policy briefing by Dr. Aquino, moderated by Dr. Juhani Capeding, presented the national NCD landscape. Despite ongoing efforts, the Philippines can improve on many SDG health targets, with NCDs accounting for most deaths.

Dr. Aquino highlighted ongoing initiatives such as PHILPEN, MSAP, and the Medium-Term Health Agenda, emphasizing the need to update protocols, improve community-specific interventions, and strengthen data systems to avoid duplication and close persistent gaps.

Partner Updates

• Patrick Angeles presented updates from the Australian Government Partnerships for a Healthy Region Initiative, under which RESist-NCD operates, covering over 60 projects in 16 Philippine sites addressing SRH, TB, mental health, and NCDs.
• Rauell Santos (WHO) discussed the Healthy Hearts Technical Package, demonstrating measurable gains in Western Visayas and Cagayan Valley.
• The PhilPEN Capacity-Building Team emphasized inclusion of marginalized groups, local context-specific implementation, and evidence-based decision-making.

Open Discussion: Aligning NCD Priorities

A multi-stakeholder dialogue explored how to align NCD initiatives across institutions.

• DOLE noted plans to integrate NCD prevention into occupational safety and health programs.
• The Heidelberg Institute of Global Health emphasized addressing intersectional inequities.
• Philippine Heart Center, Stroke Society, and PSPHP called for better data systems, training, and unified communication platforms for NCD management.
• DOH and ADB representatives discussed improving health-information interoperability and data privacy frameworks.
• Civil-society partners such as the Healthy Philippines Alliance advocated for meaningful involvement of people living with NCDs in co-creation and evaluation processes.

Closing Reflections

In closing, participants acknowledged the potential of RESist-NCD to unify fragmented efforts and test scalable, locally grounded approaches. The session ended with a shared commitment to sustained collaboration toward an equitable and resilient NCD response.

The Project Team

Included here is the dedicated team behind RESist-NCD Philippines, working together to strengthen local health systems and advance inclusive, equitable responses to NCDs. Leading the team is Jana Debora Mier-Alpano as Country Coordinator, supported by Theo Prudencio Juhani Capeding as Project Adviser and Ramon Lorenzo Guinto as Technical Adviser. Marvin Louie Ignacio serves as Project Manager, with Pauline Tiangco and Onikka Jara as Project  Site Leads, and Tanya Gagalac as Project Officer for Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL). Providing  research and project support are Isabella Cabanlig and Ma. Margaret Golpe, while Lorna Flores as Administrative Assistant and Michael Vallente as Finance & Compliance Officer.