MANILA — The US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) reaffirmed its commitment to building sustainable, inclusive, and people-centered healthcare systems in Southeast Asia by convening a high-level panel discussion in Manila focused on preventive healthcare.
The event is part of a regional initiative anchored on USABC’s recently launched flagship paper, “Advancing Preventive Health in Southeast Asia: Recommendations for Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.”
The Manila session marked the second in a series of engagements in the three countries, designed to bring the paper’s recommendations into direct conversation with government leaders, development experts, and private sector partners.
“Strengthening preventive healthcare presents a critical opportunity to improve health outcomes, reduce the burden of disease, and support the long-term sustainability of the Philippines’ healthcare system,” said Ambassador Brian McFeeters (ret.), USABC senior vice president and regional managing director as he opened the event. “This roundtable reflects the U.S. private sector’s commitment to advancing healthcare resilience and our shared support for achieving public health goals across the region.”
Organized under the Council’s Health & Life Sciences (HLS) Committee, and supported by a Steering Committee composed of member companies Becton, Dickinson and Company, Crowell Global Advisors, Jhpiego, Pfizer, Viatris, and Zuellig Pharma, the session convened over 50 participants, including representatives from 11 member companies across the pharmaceutical, medical device, and health technology sectors.
Discussions focused on identifying collaborative, actionable strategies to scale up preventive health measures within the framework of the Philippines’ Universal Health Coverage agenda.
The panel was moderated by Atty. Herminio Bagro III, USABC’s Philippines Country Representative. Key discussion topics included healthcare access, sustainable financing, policy innovation, and the role of community engagement in shifting towards prevention-focused delivery models. Panelists included:
- Sejal Mistry, director, Crowell Global Advisors
- Shamie Zainal, director of Global Policy and Public Affairs, Pfizer
- Anand Menon, site leader, Philippines, Becton, Dickinson and Company
- Dr. Ingrid Magnata, Philippines country lead, Jhpiego
Government leaders and multilateral representatives also delivered special remarks, including:
- Eli Dino Santos, senior vice president and chief operating officer, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation
- Eduardo Mariño, deputy treasurer, Bureau of Treasury (BTr), Alternate of the DOF Secretary for the PHIC Board
- Hon. Eduardo Banzon, director for Health Practice, Human and Social Development Office, Asian Development Bank
Their contributions highlighted the shared commitment to scaling preventive services and the vital role of public-private collaboration in building resilient, future-ready healthcare systems. “Primary care is our first defense, our daily protection, and our connection to lifelong wellness. To truly transform healthcare in the Philippines and ensure no Filipino is left behind, we need a whole-of society and whole-of-government approach. Let’s build a health system that acts every day to prevent and protect – because health is a right, and it begins at the primary level” said Hon. Santos, in his remarks reinforcing the government’s drive toward people-centred healthcare through PhilHealth’s Konsulta programme.
The Council’s multi-country initiative will continue in the coming months, as USABC deepens its engagement with regional health officials and stakeholders to promote policy innovation, sustainable financing, and community-centered models of preventive care.
