Phapcares push for sustainable healthcare, emergency response in communities

The Phapcares Foundation has named its new officers and trustees who will spearhead the organization’s thrust to promote sustainable health care and emergency response in the country.

Astrazeneca Philippines President, Lotis Ramin will serve as president of the Phapcares Foundation, which is mandated to act as the social responsibility arm of the Pharmaceutical and healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP). Ramin succeeds Boehringer Ingelheim General Manager yee Kok Cheong, who will remain as part of the foundation as trustee.

Also providing strategic directions for the foundation as officers are vice President Jugo Tsumura (novartis healthcare Country President and Managing Director) and Treasurer Melissa ellen Belvis (Abbott Philippines General Manager). Serving as trustees are Angel Michael evangelista (Bayer Philippines Managing Director and Country Division head), Jannette Jakosalem (Zuellig Pharma Philippines Market Managing Director), Loreann villanueva (Takeda healthcare Country

Manager), Dr. Maria Rosarita Quijano-siasoco (Phapcares executive Director), Teodoro Padilla (PHAP executive Director) and Dr. Corazon Maglaya (honorary Trustee).

This year, the Phapcares Foundation will focus on three key program areas, namely, sustainable health care, access to medicines and emergency response, and social development.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need for well-functioning and sustainable health-care systems. Our aim is to work with the government and partners to establish model cities and communities that reflect the Universal healthcare aspiration. We are committed to supporting the country in this time of the pandemic. With our programs, we hope to ensure people can stay healthy and productive because health services are available to them in their time of need,” said Ramin.

At the height of the pandemic, the Phapcares Foundation launched a campaign to strengthen the health-care system capacity and protect healthcare workers. The Foundation provided personal protective equipment, test kits, ventilators, medicines, and food packs to health frontliners and communities affected by the pandemic.

Phapcares will continue to strengthen access to medicines and emergency response by providing medicines to communities and institutions in times of crisis, and by providing emergency trainings under the earthquake, Landslide, Search and Rescue Orientation Course (ELSAROC) through a partnership with Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

Also a trustee of PHAP, Ramin is the first Filipina country president of Astrazeneca Philippines. She was recently named Woman of the year from the American Association of the Philippines and an honoree of the Asia Leaders Awards.

established in 2003, the Phapcares Foundation has received a number of recognitions, including a Presidential Citation for its training and employment program for community nurses. The organization, composed of companies engaged in research and discovery of lifesaving medicines and vaccines, has donated at least PHP1 billion worth of medicines for use of communities disadvantaged by sickness, poverty and disasters.