{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,28]],"date-time":"2026-08-28T05:25:55Z","timestamp":1787894755834,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,13]],"date-time":"2025-01-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1736726400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:p>The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the Philippines\u2019s transition toward universal health coverage. However, some local government units in the country made use of the pandemic as a catalyst to strengthen their local health system, scale-up the provision of preventive and primary care services, and improve health governance to make it more prepared to face future pandemics and realize the aims of the country\u2019s new Universal Healthcare Act. This paper describes the response of the local government of Quezon City, Philippines, to COVID-19 and how it strengthened local health systems. We also discuss enablers such as partnerships, collaborations, and foresight to ensure that investments during the pandemic will continue to be of use. We also identify some constraints and propose recommendations to consolidate local health system gains during the COVID-19 pandemic response in the transition toward universal health coverage.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1093\/heapol\/czaf002","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,13]],"date-time":"2025-01-13T08:43:09Z","timestamp":1736757789000},"page":"436-442","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Strengthening local health systems and governance for Universal Health Coverage: experiences and lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic response in Quezon City, Philippines"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"40","author":[{"given":"Esperanza Anita","family":"Escano-Arias","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Local Government of Quezon City , Quezon City 1100,","place":["Philippines"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ramona Asuncion D. G","family":"Abarquez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Local Government of Quezon City , Quezon City 1100,","place":["Philippines"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rolando V","family":"Cruz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Local Government of Quezon City , Quezon City 1100,","place":["Philippines"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rosalie","family":"Espeleta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Capital Regional Office, Department of Health , Mandaluyong City 1550,","place":["Philippines"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Madeline Mae","family":"Ong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine and Public Health, Ateneo de Manila University , Pasig City 1604,","place":["Philippines"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4571-400X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Arianna Maever","family":"Loreche","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine and Public Health, Ateneo de Manila University , Pasig City 1604,","place":["Philippines"]},{"name":"National Clinical Trials and Translation Center, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila , Pedro Gil St., Ermita, Manila 1000,","place":["Philippines"]},{"name":"Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of the Philippines Manila , Pedro Gil St., Ermita, Manila 1000,","place":["Philippines"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5391-3784","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Veincent Christian F","family":"Pepito","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine and Public Health, Ateneo de Manila University , Pasig City 1604,","place":["Philippines"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vida","family":"Gomez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"World Bank Philippines Country Office , 5th Ave cor 25th St, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig 1634,","place":["Philippines"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Manuel M","family":"Dayrit","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine and Public Health, Ateneo de Manila University , Pasig City 1604,","place":["Philippines"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025030711434289000_R1","article-title":"Quezon City Ordinance No. SP-3176, S-2023","volume-title":"An ordinance establishing at least one super health center in every district of Quezon City, and appropriating funds therefor","author":"22nd Quezon City Council","year":"2023"},{"key":"2025030711434289000_R2","article-title":"Quezon City Ordinance No. SP-3232, S-2023","volume-title":"An ordinance creating the Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division (QCESD) under the Quezon City Health Department defining its structure, composition, and functions and providing funds therefor","author":"22nd Quezon City Council","year":"2023"},{"key":"2025030711434289000_R3","article-title":"Quezon City Ordinance No. SP-3207, S-2023. An ordinance creating a health promotion unit in the Quezon City Health Department for the Governance and Implementation of Health Promotion Policies, Programs, and Activities in the City-Wide Health System of Quezon City","author":"22nd Quezon City Council","year":"2023"},{"key":"2025030711434289000_R4","article-title":"AI solutions for local governance | AI4GOV Philippines","volume-title":"AI4GOV","author":"AI4GOV","year":"2023"},{"key":"2025030711434289000_R5","first-page":"1","article-title":"Early response to COVID-19 in the Philippines","volume":"12","author":"Amit","year":"2021","journal-title":"West Pac Surveil Response J: WPSAR"},{"key":"2025030711434289000_R6","article-title":"Advancing Universal Health Coverage in the Philippines through self-care interventions","volume":"26","author":"Amit","year":"2022","journal-title":"Lancet Reg Health \u2013 West Pac"},{"key":"2025030711434289000_R7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19159567","article-title":"The 2019 Philippine UHC act, pandemic management and implementation implications in a post-COVID-19 world: A content analysis","volume":"19","author":"Bautista","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"2025030711434289000_R8","first-page":"137","article-title":"Experiences and satisfaction of high-risk mothers who gave birth in select facilities in Legazpi City, Philippines","volume":"9","author":"Cagayan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Pub Health Sci"},{"key":"2025030711434289000_R9","article-title":"Understanding COVID-19 dynamics and the effects of interventions in the Philippines: A mathematical modelling study","volume":"14","author":"Caldwell","journal-title":"Lancet Reg Health - West Pac"},{"key":"2025030711434289000_R10","article-title":"2021 Annual Financial Report - Local Government Volume 1","author":"Commission on Audit (Philippines)","year":"2021"},{"key":"2025030711434289000_R11","article-title":"Preparing for the next pandemic: What should LGUs do?","volume-title":"Combating COVID-19: Personal perspectives from public-private partners. 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