In a show of unified action against the Philippines’ mounting public health, climate, and food security challenges, business leaders, government agencies, and development partners convened at the One Health Forum 2025 to co-develop solutions through cross-sectoral collaboration.
Organized by Culion Foundation, Inc. and Corus International, and supported by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), League of Corporate Foundations, and Makati Business Club, the forum spotlighted the One Health approach, a framework recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.
Held at I’M Hotel in Makati, the event brought together key players from sectors including health, agriculture, biodiversity, telecommunications, and academia. The forum featured a keynote by Health Secretary Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, who emphasized the urgency of institutionalizing One Health, considering climate-sensitive diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and pandemic threats.
Recent data placing the Philippines at the top of the 2024 World Risk Index underscored the forum’s timeliness. Increases in leptospirosis, dengue, and food insecurity, exacerbated by climate disasters like Typhoon Aghon, have strained communities and revealed gaps in existing systems.
Two-panel discussions explored both national risks and private sector roles. Speakers from the Department of Health, ADB, WHO, MSD, PLDT-Smart, Ateneo, and PBSP shared perspectives on integrated strategies, investments in digital and green infrastructure, workforce training, and research. Table discussions enabled participants to map out practical pathways for collaboration.
The forum concluded with a call to action from CFI Executive Director Eugenio M. Caccam, Jr., urging stakeholders to embrace the One Health framework as a national priority. He and other leaders stressed the need to move from siloed initiatives to shared value creation, anchored in coordination, collaboration, commitment, and co-ownership.
As the Philippines faces converging threats—from climate change to disease outbreaks—the forum served as a platform to transform shared risks into shared solutions, laying the groundwork for more resilient and inclusive health systems.
