DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / June 21, 2013) – The European Union has vowed to support a government health program that would address the needs of indigenous tribes in the Philippines.
The Philippine government has recently signed the Guidelines on the Delivery of Basic Health Services for Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples or the Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2013-01.
The policy is expected to gain grounds with its inclusion in the planning of the local government units.
The new guideline which will jointly be implemented by the Department of Health, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, and the Department of Interior and Local Government and will put together government initiatives for the advancement of the indigenous peoples’ health and welfare.
European Union Ambassador Guy Ledoux has welcomed the signing of the joint memorandum.
“This guideline is a proof of commitment of the government of the Philippines to improve social and individual wellbeing of all Filipinos especially the most vulnerable and marginalized population,” he said, adding “as part of the European Union’s support to the health sector as a whole, the EU has decided to support more specifically the needs of the indigenous peoples for this program.”
He also stressed that the real challenge does not end in the signing of the Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2013-01. “Beyond the signing, we need to see real action and interaction at the local level to make health services available, accessible, and culture sensitive,” Ledoux said.
Health Secretary Enrique Ona said the Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2013-01 is landmark for our Kalusugang Pangkalahatan implementation.
“It brings real meaning to our humble intentions for the marginalized and underserved people. Further, this gives a guarantee that our indigenous people, who are generally missed out in the provision of services, will be provided health services through these special efforts.”
“We will deploy health workers who are culture sensitive to the needs of the indigenous people and we will find innovative as well as alternative ways to deliver these services particularly in our GIDAs,” he said.
GIDA refers to Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas.
Austere Panadero, Interior Undersecretary for Local Government, said the joint memorandum is a milestone because “from here on, we are going to see better policies and services for our brothers and sisters in the various IP communities of the country.”
“We have been partnering with the indigenous people in so many things like the CADT and this new endeavour is equally important and very challenging. Believing that health service is very important and basic human right, this has to be made accessible to the Indigenous Peoples. DILG looks forward to this partnership and in the coming months, our office together with National Commission on Indigenous Peoples will be working very hard to immediately put this on the ground to make health services for our brothers and sisters become better than they are today,” he said.
For her part, NCIP Chairperson Zenaida Brigida Pawid, said the signing of the Guidelines is very important for the indigenous people.
“We vow in very grateful acceptance of the challenge that is hurdled to the NCIP, but we look very kindly at the very people who make sure that we are not a disappearing race and that is the DOH. We also look very kindly at DILG who have helped us understand that we are not different from the rests of the Filipinos,” Pawid said.
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