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Every individual's language rights are just as important and, often, even equate to healthcare rights during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this crisis, essential and lifesaving information and updates about local and international efforts to respond to and mitigate the impacts of the pandemic have to be made available using language(s) accessible and understandable to as many groups of people as possible. Using the lens of language justice, this paper analysed 238 official - information materials on COVID-19 from social media pages of the Department of Health (DOH) regional offices in hopes of unpacking the injustice that those who speak minor languages in multilingual Philippines experience. The hegemonic presence of major languages in the materials was observed as a majority of the information materials were published in Tagalog and English, whereas the Mother Tongues were unequally represented. The researchers argue that more Filipinos are at risk of contracting the virus, as the languages in which lifesaving information are presented are limited and unequal. Autonomy and decentralisation of local government offices and representation of speakers of the minority languages in the production and publication of materials will be an inclusive, sustainable, and participatory community approach to COVID-19 as a language rights emergency.

In the past, scholars of academic dependency have tended to focus their discussions on social sciences while treating other fields as separate. They suggest that in order to escape dependency, alternative discourse and autonomy should be developed. In this paper, we examine the Public Health Liberation (PHL) movement in Taiwan and theorize on the marketization and medicalization of the healthcare system since the 1980s as a dependency syndrome. The PHL was initiated by a group of public health scholars—with the second author of this paper being one of its key protagonists—and frontline public health practitioners after the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in 2003. Inspired by the mass mobilization model in public health in Asian and Latin American countries, particularly China, the Philippines, and Nicaragua, PHL trains grassroots public health educators, nurtures critical research, and has built a network of activists for radical public health reform in Taiwan. Based on participatory action research, this paper analyzes the emergence of this influential public health movement and situates it within the global context of neoliberal health reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explains why natural disasters are a public health issue. A case in point is the Masara landslide in Maco Town, the Philippines. Public health concerns are not just the physical but also the 'total well-being of persons'. Classifying natural calamities as a concern related to public health will give a sense of urgency on the matter and thereby encourage governments to act on the negative effects of climate change, especially in developing countries., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The delivery of genetic services in developing countries is faced with significant challenges, despite medical and technological advances globally. The Philippines, being an archipelago, faces even more challenges, with significant disparities in access to healthcare, and tertiary medical centers and specialists being concentrated in the major cities. The utilization of different networks for the integration of genetic services in the existing public health delivery system has been valuable. Using the well-established network of the national newborn screening program, genetic services have been successfully integrated into the delivery of healthcare, even at the grassroot level. Equitable access to healthcare, including genetic services, was highlighted and supported by the enactment of the Rare Disease Law in 2016. The support of the academe to assure the sustainability of services was evident in the establishment of a genetic counseling program to augment the work of a handful of clinical geneticists. Professional societies and support groups have been instrumental in identifying genetic conditions to be prioritized and lobbying for increased public awareness, leading to national programs and policies. This paper primarily discusses the value of networks in the delivery of genetic services, specifically newborn screening, programs for rare diseases, birth defects, and genetic counseling.

Concerns have emerged of how the professionalization agenda in the development sector may water down the 'spirit of volunteerism' that thrives on community initiative, informality, and flexibility. This paper explores the role of literacy and learning practices in the bureaucratization of community development drawing from an ethnography of local volunteering in the Philippines. Through literacy practices such as preparing community health classes, making budget plans, and writing to government institutions, volunteers were inducted into 'bureaucratic' ways of working that, at times, clashed with their expectations and practices of volunteering that were founded on community building, solidarity, and agency. While volunteering could be seen as a means for community participation in development, findings in this paper signal that the formalization and bureaucratization of grassroots volunteer groups may shift the intended community dynamics and volunteers' expectations, practices, and identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural production is a major driver of the Philippine economy. Mass production of animal products, such as livestock and poultry farming, is one of the most prominent players in the field. Filipino farmers use veterinary medicinal products (VMPs) when raising agricultural animals to improve animal growth and prevent diseases. Unfortunately, the extensive use of VMPs, particularly antibiotics, has been linked to drug resistance in animals, particularly antibiotics. Antimicrobial gene products produced in animals due to the prolonged use of VMPs can passed on to humans when they consume animal products. This paper reviews information on the use of VMPs in the Philippines, including the regulations, their impact, challenges, and potential recommendations. The Philippines has existing legislation regulating VMP use. Several agencies were tasked to regulate the use of VMPs, such as the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Health, and the Philippine National Action Plan. Unfortunately, there is a challenge to implementing these regulations, which affects consumers. The unregulated use of VMPs influences the transmission of antibiotic residues from animals to crops to humans. This challenge should be addressed, with more focus on stricter regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This correspondence responds to a recently published editorial by highlighting the interconnectedness of science, policy, politics and activism in addressing the escalating heat index in the Philippines. It underlines the importance of a complete strategy that incorporates scientific information into evidence-based policy, navigates the political environment and encourages grassroots activity to address the complex effects of extreme heat on public health. This paper highlights the necessity of multidisciplinary collaboration among stakeholders in developing effective measures for minimizing the negative health consequences of rising temperatures while also promoting climate resilience and health justice in the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The freelance economy has seen rapid growth worldwide in recent years and the Philippines is not an exception. Freelance workers are becoming increasingly common in healthcare and research. Early career researchers carry out most of scientific research and can play a critical role in advancing public health by bringing new perspectives and diversity to the field. Existing literature has mostly focused on the experiences of early career researchers in an institutional academic setting. This study aimed to understand the experiences of freelance early career researchers in the health policy and systems space in the Philippines. Methods: This qualitative study collected data from 18 to 22 March 2022 through virtual interview and focus group discussions. Themes and codes were created based on the topic guide developed. New themes and codes were generated as they emerged. Two researchers coded the data using both a priori and emergent codes. Any coding conflicts were resolved through discussions until intercoder agreement was reached. Interpretation and conclusions from the data were developed by 2 researchers with consideration for its context and relationship between themes. Results: Fifteen current and former freelance researchers participated in the study. Most are female, under 35 years old, and with an undergraduate degree as the highest educational attainment. The findings highlight insights and challenges faced by early career researchers in aspects of: (1) work arrangement, (2) tasks, (3) expectations from senior researchers, (4) development in the health policy and systems field, (5) relationship with peers, and (6) motivations for continuing to work as a freelance health policy and systems researcher. Conclusion: This study reveals the challenges freelance early career researchers face, highlighting the need for enhanced support and recognition amidst rapidly evolving workforce demands and complex health dilemmas. Recommendations include structured mentorship, professional development, innovative funding models, and the establishment of a supportive network. Advocacy for policies ensuring freelancer inclusion in the economy and policy-making is crucial. Future research should investigate their experiences further, including their roles, transitions, and the impacts of funding trends, to foster their development and integration into public health research and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite frequently providing non-military services in times of crisis, little systematic research has examined the perspectives of crisis-affected community members on the role of armed actors responding to humanitarian crises and public health emergencies. Methods: To address this research gap, 175 interviews were conducted (2020–2021) amongst humanitarian and public health practitioners; armed actors; and crisis-affected community members across three country and four crisis contexts. Specifically, this effort included an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; a refugee crisis on the Jordanian-Syrian border; and a volcanic eruption and COVID-19 outbreak in the Philippines. Data was analysed using grounded theory principles. Results: Crisis-affected community members held diverse views. Non-state armed groups (NSAGs) and government armed actors were characterised as antagonists by some but supportive by others; gender issues were central to perceptions of armed actors, in ways that were both prejudicing and favourable. Overall perception was most closely linked to armed actor roles rather than the relative amount of conflict in a given area. Conclusions: Findings nuance the relevant literature characterizing NSAGs as disruptive agents, and also the relevant literature that does not fully consider the nuances of gender and armed actor roles as deeply relevant to crisis-affected community perspectives on armed actors. These findings have important implications for both policy and academic discourse on militarization and localization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women play a crucial role in the care and response to the COVID-19 pandemic, whether in paid or unpaid work. This article looks into the lived experience of some of these women infected by COVID-19 while doing their job as care providers. We selected nine women from Cebu City, Philippines. We presented their lived experience through van Manen's phenomenology of practice. Themes of the lived experience reveal pain and separation, suffering and caring, stigma of discrimination, caring response, and supportive relationship in the midst of a health crisis. Our reflections reveal that even in serious vulnerability and sustained domestic burden, women remained steadfast in their caring character. Their caring attitude has turned the quarantine facility into a liveable space where empathy, reciprocity, and relationality dwell and thus help everyone survive the COVID-19 ordeal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Community health workers (CHWs) are increasingly viewed as a critical workforce to address health system strengthening and sustainable development goals. Optimizing and widening the capacity of this workforce through digital technology is currently underway, though there is skepticism regarding CHWs' willingness and optimism to engage in digital health. We sought to understand CHWs' perceptions on the use of digital health tools in their work. Methods: We obtained survey data from 1,141 CHWs from 28 countries with complete study information. We conducted regression analyses to explore the relationship between CHWs' training and perceived barriers to digital health access with current use of digital devices/tools and belief in digital impact while adjusting for demographic factors. Results: Most of the CHWs worked in Kenya (n = 502, 44%) followed by the Philippines (n = 308, 27%), Ghana (n = 107, 9.4%), and the United States (n = 70, 6.1%). There were significant, positive associations between digital tools training and digital device/tool use (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 2.92, 95% CI = 2.09–4.13) and belief in digital impact (AORhigh impact = 3.03, 95% CI = 2.04–4.49). CHWs were significantly less likely to use digital devices for their work if they identified cost as a perceived barrier (AORmobile service cost = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.49–0.95; AORphone/device cost = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.47–0.92). CHWs who were optimistic about digital health, were early adopters of technology in their personal lives, and found great value in their work believed digital health helped them to have greater impact. Older age and greater tenure were associated with digital device/tool use and belief in digital impact, respectively. Conclusions: CHWs are not an obstacle to digital health adoption or use. CHWs believe that digital tools can help them have more impact in their communities regardless of perceived barriers. However, cost is a barrier to digital device/tool use; potential solutions to cost constraints of technological access will benefit from further exploration of reimbursement models. Digital health tools have the potential to increase CHW capacity and shape the future of community health work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The global impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has continually jeopardized vulnerable populations encompassing children, youth, elders, and individuals with immunodeficiency and comorbidities. Methods In recognizing the crucial role of predictive analytics in shaping public health decisions, this study utilizes a predictive design, drawing on official data from the Department of Health (DOH) in the Davao Region, Philippines, spanning 57 days from March 15 to May 10, 2020. By comparing the Susceptible, Infected, Recovered (SIR) model and the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model, the research aims to provide a scientific foundation for informed decision-making by public health authorities. Results Analysis revealed that the SIR model emerged as the most effective in identifying trends and forecasting future cases. Despite both models indicating a substantial reduction in infection rates, caution is advised against discontinuing control and preventive measures due to the latent potential for another surge. The findings underscore the necessity for scientifically forecasted data to guide decision-makers in enhancing the responsiveness of public health services during similar and potentially worsening conditions. Conclusions Hence, this study contributes to the ongoing pandemic preparedness and responsiveness discourse. Its emphasis on predictive analytics, particularly the SIR model, offers valuable insights for authorities tasked with safeguarding public health. The significance lies in addressing the current situation in the Davao region and providing a template for future scenarios. As the world grapples with the unpredictable nature of infectious diseases, informed decision-making based on scientific forecasts becomes imperative for effective public health management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]