Senator Backs Iloilo Media on Health Data Access Issues

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Senator Joel Villanueva has vowed to raise with Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Javier Herbosa the concerns of Iloilo’s local media over restrictive policies on accessing public health data from the Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH WV CHD).

The development came as Villanueva announced a probe into the DOH’s reported PHP11.18 billion worth of wasted medicine in 2023 during his visit to Iloilo City on March 27.

Local journalists have raised concerns over the regional health office’s requirement to seek central office approval before releasing documents or statements on local health issues.

The DOH WV CHD explained that the policy follows a new protocol requiring regional offices to have data cleared by the central office before official release.

Under this system, the approval process takes time, affecting the timeliness of critical health information.

Additionally, the regional office previously informed the media that obtaining provincial breakdowns of health data—such as dengue and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) statistics—now requires separate requests per province, as a unified release is no longer allowed.

The shift places the burden on journalists, who must now coordinate with multiple provincial health offices to compile comprehensive reports.

Without an official unified release, verifying the accuracy and consistency of the data becomes more challenging.

The absence of a standardized source means that journalists requesting the same data at different times may receive varying figures, potentially leading to inconsistencies in reporting.

A unified release would help ensure that public health information remains consistent and accessible across different sources.

While no official explanation has been given for the sudden policy shift, the agency previously provided province-specific breakdowns for cases such as dengue.

Villanueva acknowledged the concerns raised by Iloilo media and stressed the need for government agencies to uphold transparency and efficient data sharing.

“That’s very good information. I need it. Let’s coordinate. What constitution is the DOH following? Our constitution states that public records should be accessible, that’s why we’ve been pushing for the Freedom of Information Act. Is the government now in the business of hiding information? Is that the way things work now?” he said.

He stressed that the health department should provide accurate information.

“You are in the media—it’s your job to report. These are public documents; they should not be hidden. I will definitely look into this,” he added.

Villanueva emphasized that transparency issues extended beyond data access, reiterating concerns over undisclosed stocks of expiring medicine.

“Because if they are also keeping from us the fact that these medicines are expiring, we don’t even know how many more are set to expire. Many of our fellow citizens are lining up for government assistance, seeking medicine, and then we hear about things like this,” he said.