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The
Philippines
About the proud island nation
The Philippines
Population: 104.9 million
The Philippines was discovered by a Portuguese-born Spanish explorer, Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 and named after King Philip II of Spain. The Philippines is one of the world’s largest archipelago nations consisting of over 7,641 islands. Hosting a record high of 4.7 million foreign tourists, the Philippines is a must-see travel destination.
Call to Action:
Compared to most Asian countries, the out-of-pocket spending on healthcare has significantly risen in the Philippines and less than half of the population is covered by healthcare. Despite the healthcare coverage, it is not always guaranteed that the services received will be of high quality. This is believed to be caused by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) that offers healthcare, but only has very limited benefits. The level of low health literacy in the Philippines is strongly tied to the underprivileged population. A health forum released showed that when patients seek medical attention, they come when they are already very ill. The Foundation hopes to increase health literacy, accessible healthcare, and equitable healthcare delivery for the people of the Philippines.
Tacloban City
Population: 250,000
MacArthur Leyte Landing National Park is located in Tacloban City, which commemorates the start of the campaign to help liberate the Philippines during World War II. One of the statutes was destroyed by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), but was quickly repaired.
Call to Action: However, the same cannot be said for access to health care, particularly in rural communities. While the number of health clinics and medical aid surged in the city, the rural communities remain significantly dependent on free health clinics. Currently, there is a government-run health clinic in every municipality; however, their resources are limited and their staff typically includes only one general practitioner. With the help of nonprofit health clinics, more people will have access to healthcare. Phase 1 of the Tenorio Foundation will be to open its first clinic within Tacloban city in order to increase the residents access to health care.
Lipa City
Population: 332,386
Lipa City is attributed as "Little Rome of the Philippines" by Department of Tourism due to its numerous religious houses. It was once called to be "City for all Seasons" when popular actress Vilma Santos became first woman Mayor of Lipa.
Call to Action: Lipa City has quickly become a target of property developers and home buyers, growing an average of +3.24% every year in the last decade, with no signs of stopping. Given the increasing population, it is vital that there are more health centers available to provide affordable healthcare for the booming populace. Within the past year, the DOH has opened seven private hospitals targeted at providing free/affordable health care to those of lower socioeconomic status. The Tenorio Foundations second phase of work will involve performing needs assessments within Lipa City and constructing the second clinic in order to specifically combat these needs.
Credit:© Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images
Manila
Population: 12.8 million
The city of Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the most diverse cities in the world, home to large populations of Filipinos, Americans, Chinese, Spanish, and Koreans. While Manila includes Makati City, an economic hub, it also has the highest homeless population of any city in the world. 1.2 million of the homeless are children. More than 40% live below poverty line.
Call to Action: There are more hospitals and medical clinics in the capital than in any other city in the Philippines. However, poverty still prevents millions of people from accessing medical care. Public hospitals do not have as much resources as private hospitals nor have the capacity to provide more comprehensive treatments. People living below the poverty line still rely on free clinics for medical care.
