When it is not right to light

The Coalition for Health Advocacy and Transparency (CHAT) is a coalition of over 25 civil society and political organizations concerned with issues on access to medicines, public health and good governance. Bound by a common advocacy, but recognizing the independence and integrity of its member-organizations, the Coalition is working to promote transparency and accountability, and encourage sharing of information in the field of public health.

The Coalition lauds the Department of Health (DOH) for upholding the Constitutional right to health and right to health information through the recent issuance of Administrative Order 2010-0013 (AO 2010 0013) requiring graphic health information and prohibiting misleading descriptors on tobacco product packages, and urges the DOH to stand firm despite the attempts to undermine the bold step forward in public health.

MeTA Philippines Elects New Set of Officers

Donn Mc Valdez, MD
31 March 2010

MeTA Philippines elected its new set of officers last March 24, 2010 at the Board Room of the Philippine Medical Association National Office, North Avenue, Quezon City.
Governor Roberto Pagdanganan, currently MeTA Philippines Vice-Chair is the Chair-elect, while Undersecretary Alexander Padilla of the Department of Health is the Vice-Chair-elect. Both were unanimously elected into office and shall serve a term of two years, beginning April 1, 2010.
In accordance with the Internal Rules of MeTA Philippines that was approved recently, the Executive Committee has been established, composed of Chair-elect Pagdanganan, Vice-Chair-elect Padilla, Ms. Cecille Sison of the Coalition for Health Advocacy and Transparency as Secretary and Head of the Secretariat, Ms. Normita Leyesa of the Philippine Pharmacists Association as Treasurer and Head of the Finance Committee, Dr. Robert Louie P. So of the Department of Health National Center for Pharmaceutical Access Management as the representative of government, Atty. Jose Maria Ochave of the Philippine Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry as the representative of the private sector, and Mr. Angelito Mendoza of the Ayos na Gamot sa Abot Kayang Presyo (AGAP) as the representative of the civil society organizations.
The heads of the regular committees were also selected: Mr. Reiner Gloor of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines as Membership Committee Chair, Dr. Rey Melchor Santos of the Philippine Medical Association as the Advocacy and Partnerships Committee Chair, Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go as Research Committee Chair, and Ms. Leyesa as Finance Committee Chair.
Dr. Alberto Romualdez, Jr., the founding Chair of MeTA Philippines stays on as Senior Adviser.

MeTA Philippines Pilots RAAKS in, Reaffirms Commitment to the Multi-Stakeholder Process

Donn Mc Valdez, MD
20 March 2010

The stakeholders of the Medicines Transparency Alliance Philippines (MeTA Philippines) led by its Chairman Dr. Alberto G. Romualdez, Jr., held a one-day workshop on stakeholder mapping last March 15, 2010 at Room 210 of the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region Office. Mr. Gavin Stedman-Bryce and Dr. Serafin Talisayon on behalf of the International Development Studies and the MeTA International Secretariat facilitated the said workshop.

This workshop is the culminating activity of a three-phase methodology known as the Rural Appraisal of Agricultural Knowledge Systems (RAAKS). RAAKS is a methodology being piloted by MeTA as part of the evaluation of the quality of the multi-stakeholder processes, including a 360-degree assessment of the existing levels of engagement.

RAAKS is action research defined as a reflective process of on-going problem solving by a group to improve the way they address constraints and solve problems. It emphasizes working together to promote positive change and offers tools for gathering, organising and interpreting information in a participatory way.