Acknowledging that health is a basic human right and that there is a need to respond to increasing health inequities in the country, the Aquino administration has committed to achieve Universal Health Care (UHC) by 2015. Population coverage by 2015 will be obligatory and premiums will be subsidized by taxes from the National Government.

Dr. Ramon P. Paterno of UP Manila highlighted this commitment in his health policy paper presentation entitled “How Do We Finance Universal Health Care in the Philippines?” during the UP National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Forum held last 10 May 2012. The paper examines policy options for financing the achievement of UHC by 2015.