Department of Health

Bicol Center for Health Development

PuroKalusugan
DOH DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM No. 2025-0024
Date Issued: 14 January 2025
I. RATIONALE
DOH dedication to realize the goals of Universal Health Care (UHC) Act by ensuring
that ALL Filipinos have access to a comprehensive range of healthcare services;

Aligned with the National Objective for Health (NOH) 2026-2028 and the 8-Point
Action Agenda No. 1 “Bawat Pilipino, Ramdam ang Kalusugan”;

PuroKalusugan aims to bridge the gap in health promotion and disease prevention
and control by translating national health strategies into tangible grassroots actions;

Through PuroKalusugan, the DOH aims to accelerate the realization of UHC’s goals
of providing equitable healthcare access to ALL Filipinos by strengthening the service
delivery at the purok level.

Department of Health
Bicol Center for Health Development
“PuroKalusugan” from the word “purok”, an informal yet crucial subdivision within
that often serves as the frontline for delivering essential services and monitoring their
implementation. Focused on empowering puroks to ensure that healthcare services
are not only accessible but also tailored to meet the specific needs of each
community;

PuroKalusugan is focused on unserved and underserved populations, which is

around 11,807,854 people situated in 7,063 brgys with 48,217 puroks characterized
by: - with poor health outcomes
- maternal mortality rates of 226 per 100,000 live births (2X higher than ND)
- lower rates of fully immunized children at 58% (63% National Average)
- antenatal care utilization at 52% (58% National Average)

PuroKalusugan will prioritize these areas as implementation sites which aims to

deliver immediate and targeted interventions leading to improved health outcomes.

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Bicol Center for Health Development
PuroKalusugan initiatives shall be organized in all barangays and their puroks for the
continuous provision of primary health care services and future expansion of
implementation sites as resources may allow;

LGUs as key partners;

PuroKalusugan is designed to complement and not replace existing health

measures of LGUs and it also seeks to enhance partnerships by strengthening
collaborations and building the capacity of local health workforce;

DOH CHD, in close coordination with LGUs, act as catalysts for transformative
approach to primary health care.

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Bicol Center for Health Development
II. OBJECTIVES
To provide strategic approaches necessary for the effective
operationalization of PuroKalusugan with the primary aim of
enhancing primary health care service delivery and empowering
barangays and puroks in addressing health needs of the community

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Bicol Center for Health Development
III. SCOPE OF APPLICATION
This DM shall apply to:
- all barangays and their puroks;
- all DOH Offices concerned with health service delivery
(Central Office Bureaus, Services, and Attached Agencies)
- all CHDs
- all LGUs
- Other stakeholders

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Bicol Center for Health Development
IV. GUIDING PRINCIPLES
A. CONVENIENT ACCESS

Establish a strategic entry point for health services at the purok

level by ensuring initial and subsequent patient encounters occur
within their community. This focuses on improving access by directly
delivering health services to the puroks, making healthcare more
accessible and timely. This also highlights the need to develop
strategic interventions for more access and better health service
delivery in areas with low access to healthcare facilities.

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Bicol Center for Health Development
B. CONTINUITY OF CARE AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT

Foster a continuous and trustworthy relationship between the

community and their primary care providers by addressing health
needs throughout their lifecycle – from maintaining health and
managing disease, to recovery and adjustment.

This also includes empowering communities through participation

and social mobilization, ensuring that sustainable healthcare
practices are developed and maintained within their puroks. This
also places significance on individuals’ and communities’ ownership
of their own health.
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Bicol Center for Health Development
C. COMPREHENSIVE AND RESPONSIVE CARE

Provide a wide range of primary health care services that are not
only comprehensive but also responsive to the specific needs of
each community. This approach ensures equitable access to
healthcare for all individuals in the purok, regardless of cultural,
gender, religious, or socio-economic backgrounds, while avoiding
financial hardship.

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Bicol Center for Health Development
D. COORDINATED AND ENGAGED LOCAL HEALTH SYSTEM

Engage the LGUs and other health champions to deliver health

services in the purok. This will produce enhanced coordination of
services and care across all health system levels by implementing
efficient patient navigation, referral processes, and resource
sharing.

This integrated approach also ensures that health services

delivered at the purok level are well-organized and aligned with
broader health system goals.

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Bicol Center for Health Development
E. COMMUNITY-CENTERED CARE

Prioritize the health literacy and support needed for individuals and
families to actively participate in their own care, emphasizing
community participation and social mobilization.

This principle ensures that health services are tailored to the needs
of the individuals in their communities, ensuring a systematic and
humanistic approach to health service delivery.

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Bicol Center for Health Development
V. KEY STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION
A. ESTABLISHMENT OF PUROKALUSUGAN

Be applied and organized in all barangays and their puroks for the
continuous provision of primary health care services aligned with
this DM and future expansion of implementation sites as resources
may allow;

For its initial implementation, at least three (3) barangays (with

their respective puroks) per municipality/city shall be identified
as priority implementation sites.

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Bicol Center for Health Development
B. RESPONSIVE HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY TO
ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF EACH BRGY AND
ITS PUROK
1. TARGETED INTERVENTIONS
The priority implementation sites shall focus on health promotion,
wellness, and nutrition at the primary level and shall be empowered
to implement primary health health care services aligned with the
DOH’s 8 Priority Health Outcomes, namely:
a. Immunization
b. Nutrition
c. Maternal Health
d. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)

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Bicol Center for Health Development
 e. Tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
and AIDS Management and Control
f. Road Safety
g. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially
Hypertension and Diabetes Control, and Mental Health
h. Cancer Prevention and Control, and Hepatitis B
Management

- the priority implementation sites may focus on at least three (3)

programs identified to be in urgent need of enhanced delivery of
services and assistance.

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Bicol Center for Health Development
2. PUROKALUSUGAN HEALTH TEAMS (PKTs)
a. The PKTs shall be composed of the following core members:
1. At least one nurse or midwife from the NHWSS;
2. Other DOH-deployed Human Resource for Health (HRH)
under the National Health Workforce Support System
(NHWSS) and other HRH hired by the DOH Offices, such
as those hired by the CHDs, Disease Prevention and
Control Bureau (DPCB), Health Promotion Bureau
(HPB),
and DOH Hospitals deployed at the LGU level;
3. The assigned nurse or midwife from the LGU;
4. Barangay Health Workers (BHWs)
b. The PKTs of a city/municipality shall be directly supervised by a
DOH Representative
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Bicol Center for Health Development
c. There shall be at least one PKT to facilitate the PuroKalusugan
implementation in each barangay, i.e. priority implementation site.
The nurse or midwife from the DOH-deployed HRH (either from the
NHWSS or hired by DOH Offices) shall lead one PKT, and shall
directly report to the DOH Representative assigned;

d. This composition maybe be expanded by tapping other

community health volunteer workers and other health champions
depending on the community’s needs;

e. The PKTs shall deliver health services at the priority

implementation sites at least twice (2X) a week. While all health
programs will continue to be provided, the programs identified as
priorities will receive focused monitoring and evaluation.
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Bicol Center for Health Development
3. Other Potential healthcare workers (HCWs) and stakeholders
to participate in the implementation of PuroKalusugan
a. Through the CHDs and LGUs’ strategic and operational planning,
different cadres of healthcare workers may potentially be
deployed to deliver health services in the puroks. The specific
cadres will depend on the identified needs and strategies to be
implemented;

b. Health and non-health workers are essential in delivering or

assisting in the delivery of specific health services in the
purok/brgys. The following may be tapped:
1. BNS, BVSI, BHERTs of identified brgys/puroks;
2. Outsourced HRH from State Universities and Colleges
(SUCs),
Department of Health including allied medical students
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 3. Private sector health providers;
4. Other volunteer HRH cadres from both private and public
organizations;
5. Other personnel deployed by other National Government
Agencies (DepEd, DSWD, NCIP, PWC, PhilHealth, and
NNC among others);
6. Other stakeholders (e.g. civil society organizations,
academe, faith/cultural leaders

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Bicol Center for Health Development
c. Other potential healthcare workers and stakeholders who would
like to participate in the implementation of PuroKalusugan may
directly coordinate with CHDs or the LGUs. Their plans and activities
shall be aligned and coordinated with the implementation and activities
designed and planned by the PKTs.

4. RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND GAP ANALYSIS

Conduct of a community participative comprehensive assessment,
profiling, and mapping of resources to identify gaps in commodities,
HRH, and service delivery within the puroks shall be done. This also
includes evaluating existing efforts, developing a problem tree and
solution matrix, and formulating long-term action plans, particularly for
issues that cannot be resolved through short-term or direct service
delivery.
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Bicol Center for Health Development
5. STRUCTURED HEALTH SERVICES
Health service delivery will be done using a strategic and
structured mechanism based on the microplanning done by the LGUs
and CHDs.
a. The services may be provided through existing healthcare
facilities, deployment of mobile clinics, or direct house-to-
house service delivery to ensure they reach the most
vulnerable.
b. Primary health care services may be provided at designated
sites in the barangay or purok.
c. The PKTs shall refer clients to the Rural Health Units (RHUs)
and other higher-level facilities, as needed

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Bicol Center for Health Development
6. HEALTH PROMOTION
Technical assistance may be provided to enhance health
literacy, community awareness, and support for health
initiatives.

7. PATIENT REGISTRATION
Advocacy shall be carried out for first patient encounters to
ensure registration or updating of registration to a primary care
provider, thereby enhancing continuity of care.

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Bicol Center for Health Development
C. Enhanced Digital Information System for Health
Service Delivery and Monitoring of Implementation
1. TOOLKIT ADAPTATION
A PuroKalusugan Manual/Toolkit shall be developed for the DOH
Representatives, PKTs, and BHWs.

2. PuroKalusugan Dashboard (PK Dash)

The DOH shall implement an innovative approach to monitor and
evaluate the performance and impact of the PuroKalusugan
initiative. A digital platform shall be utilized by the PKTs and other
stakeholders involved in the implementation of the PK to input
timely updates, monitor progress, and stakeholders’ contribution. KMITS
in collaboration with other offices shall develop this dashboard .
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Bicol Center for Health Development
C. Enhanced Digital Information System for Health
Service Delivery and Monitoring of Implementation
3. DATA DIGITALIZATION
Digitalization of health data should be done for easier tracking, faster
data collection, and more efficient analysis.

4. DIGITAL HEALTH INTEGRATION

Technological advancements will be maximized by integrating telemedicine
in platforms appropriate to the community’s local connectivity setting and
other digital health tools into service delivery.

Department of Health
Bicol Center for Health Development
D. Financing Strategies for the Implementation and
Sustainability of PuroKalusugan
1. FUND REVIEW ALLOCATION
The DOH Central Office and DOH CHDs shall review fund sources, such
as budgetary allocations from DOH CO, and identify potential areas for
reallocation to effectively implement PuroKalusugan. The DOH shall also
endeavor to ensure allocation of funds for the succeeding years.

2. PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION

The DOH, through the CHDs, shall explore partnerships with the private
sector, development partners, and civil society organizations to support
relevant health services.

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Bicol Center for Health Development
3. MAXIMIZING PATIENT BENEFITS
The DOH and PhilHealth shall endeavor to improve the Konsulta Packages
and existing benefit packages. The CHDs and LGUs shall maximize and
utilize existing benefit packages to enhance service provision.

4. COST PROJECTION
CHDs shall closely coordinate with LGUs in identifying financial needs and
Implementation costs for potential funding from the LGUs, Central Office, and
other investments in health. This will include financial plans for the succeeding
years and possible expansion of areas covered by PuroKalusugan.

Department of Health
Bicol Center for Health Development
3. Community Leadership and Engagement
The LGUs and the C/PDOHOs may engage formal and informal
community leaders as Health Champions through collaborations in planning
and implementing PuroKalusugan. Health stakeholders may be engaged in
the implementation of the PuroKalusugan in the provision of logistics,
equipment, transportation and communication, services delivery, and
monitoring and evaluation, among others.

Department of Health
Bicol Center for Health Development
F. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
1. The performance monitoring and evaluation of DOH Bureaus,
Services, Offices, and CHD relating to the PuroKalusugan initiative
shall be reflected in their respective Office/Individual Performance
Committee and Reviews (O/IPCRs).

2. Further, the performance of DOH-hired HRH, whether under the

NHWSS or those directly hired by the DOH Offices/CHDs, deployed
for the implementation of the PuroKalusugan or as members of PKTs,
shall be monitored and evaluated based on the indicators aligned with
the DOH’s 8 Priority Outcomes as reflected in their respective IPCRs.

Department of Health
Bicol Center for Health Development
Criteria for Selection of Priority Implementation Sites

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