Health

These are busy times for the Philippine health sector, with the country gearing up for a long-awaited move to universal health care (UHC) and investment in the private sector accelerating. Specialist and high-tech facilities are being developed, generating investor interest and business opportunities in pharmaceuticals and imported medical equipment. However, challenges remain, including the expan¬sion of coverage to economically disadvantaged areas, and the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases. Budgets and financing are also being re-evaluated, with the aim of stamping out leakage and fraud in subsidies and reimbursements. Despite these obstacles, 2018 looks to be a year of positive growth in the private and public sectors, with the UHC rollout inching closer and a range of changes ahead for all Filipinos. This chapter contains an interview with Hector Thomas Navasero, President and CEO, Philab Industries.