Greetings to all of our partners in health!

For the 14th year celebration of the Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS), we banner the theme: “Health R&D in the New Normal: Moving Towards Universal Health Care” in recognition of the role that the System plays in facilitating the successful implementation of the Universal Healthcare Law (UHC).

Even before its institutionalization in 2013, the System has already provided significant inputs and contributions to the landscape of healthcare in the country from generating evidence-informed solutions and innovations to supporting landmark legislations such as the UHC.

The strength of the PNHRS lies in its diverse yet interconnected network, as we are always able to build on partnerships in R&D to help address the country’s most pressing health concerns and achieve our overall goals in health. As we move forward to the implementation of the UHC, we bank on the System's diverse expertise and strong network once again to ensure that our communities will have access to better healthcare.

Although we are only meeting virtually this year, we hope that through the sessions, we can reiterate how nurturing partnerships will help in generating solutions that account for the healthcare needs of every Filipino across the country.

On behalf of the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD), I would like to thank the whole health research community, all of our partners and researchers in Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and even those based abroad who worked tirelessly to make lives better for the Filipino, especially in the past year.

May we continue to build on solidarity to advance science, technology and innovation for better healthcare systems.