PHA President Visits Healthcare+ Expo Taiwan, Seeks Smart Health Partnerships to Drive Philippine Healthcare Transformation

PHA represents 1,146 private and 800 public hospitals nationwide, with a total of 120,000 beds, making it the backbone of the Philippine healthcare system. Yet Dr. Santiago acknowledged that even this scale cannot meet the basic needs of the country’s 120 million people. Rural areas remain underserved, insurance coverage is limited, and most citizens must shoulder high out-of-pocket costs, severely restricting access to care.

Workforce shortages are another structural challenge. Despite having around 95,000 registered nurses, 44,000 midwives, 60,000 doctors, and 40,000 other medical professionals, the system cannot meet the vast needs of the archipelago-especially in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (JIDA), where gaps in healthcare personnel are even more acute.

Yet Dr. Santiago sees opportunity amid these challenges. He believes the Philippine healthcare market has strong growth potential in digital infrastructure, high-quality medical equipment, and telemedicine solutions, and identifies Taiwan as an ideal partner. Taiwan’s world-class strengths in precision medicine, telehealth platforms, and efficient facility design, he said, are key to improving public health and medical services in the Philippine.

Bilateral cooperation already has a solid foundation. With support from the Taipei and Manila Economic and Cultural Offices, the two sides have achieved joint research results in neurology, AI, and biotechnology. Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy and initiatives such as the Smart Hospital Initiative and projects in health, agriculture, and talent development are further supporting the Philippines’ digital healthcare transformation.