Village Connect
Under the bright lights of Mall of Asia, a quiet but important turning point for Philippine healthcare began to take shape. Leaders from across borders and sectors gathered for the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement that formally sets the stage for the International Healthcare Disruptors Congress (IHDC) 2026—an event designed to push healthcare beyond tradition and into a future shaped by technology, collaboration, and global thinking.
The partnership brings together Agora Group of the UAE, known for staging influential innovation summits worldwide, and Asia Pacific & Global Healthcare, Inc., a local organization made up of healthcare leaders and former government officials advocating for modernization. Their shared vision is clear: make the Philippines a meeting point where global ideas and local realities come together to build better health systems.
For Angel Bognot, a long-time advocate of Philippine health tourism, the moment reflects nearly two decades of groundwork. Since 2006, she has helped introduce the country to international buyers seeking medical and wellness services. She noted that interest from hospitals and tourism partners has grown steadily, but true competitiveness, she said, depends on stronger coordination with the Department of Health. Promotion may come from tourism agencies, but standards, safety, and credibility must be anchored in solid health policies.
That call for unity was echoed by former DOH Undersecretary Dr. Maria Francia Miciano Laxamana. She believes the renewed energy from private partners can finally give life to long-standing plans, especially public–private partnerships in healthcare. Programs like the Philippine Medical Wellness and Medical Tourism initiative, once slowed by limited support, now have a chance to move forward through shared responsibility between government and business.
The host of the signing, Makati Life Medical Center, offered a living example of how such partnerships can work. Through the Makati Health Program, also known as the Yellow Card, residents receive up to 99% subsidy on treatment. With new subspecialty services in cardiology, oncology, and advanced diagnostics soon to be completed, the hospital shows how quality care can be both modern and accessible.
From Dubai, Agora Group representative Hadi Malaeb explained why the Philippines was chosen to host IHDC 2026. Sitting between the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and supported by Filipino health professionals around the world, the country is well placed to become a regional bridge. Yet he also pointed to challenges—low eHealth readiness and limited electronic medical records. IHDC 2026, he said, is meant to close these gaps by bringing in technology, investors, and global expertise.
More than a single event, IHDC 2026 represents a shared promise: that cooperation, not competition, will drive healthcare forward—locally and globally.
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