Advance Care Planning in the Philippines: A continuing narrative of advocacy

Rumalie Alparaque-Corvera; Djhoanna Aguirre-Pedro; Erwin Phillip E Francisco; Andrew E Ang

doi:10.1016/j.zefq.2023.05.004

Advance Care Planning in the Philippines: A continuing narrative of advocacy

Z Evid Fortbild Qual Gesundhwes. 2023 Aug:180:74-77. doi: 10.1016/j.zefq.2023.05.004. Epub 2023 Jul 29.

Authors

Rumalie Alparaque-Corvera¹, Djhoanna Aguirre-Pedro², Erwin Phillip E Francisco³, Andrew E Ang⁴

Affiliations

¹ The Ruth Foundation, Muntinlupa, Philippines. Electronic address: mae.corvera@ruth.ph.
² The Ruth Foundation, Muntinlupa, Philippines.
³ Asian Hospital and Medical Center, Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, Philippines.
⁴ Department of Family and Community Medicine, Philippine General Hospital, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines.

PMID: 37517968
DOI: 10.1016/j.zefq.2023.05.004

Abstract

This article discusses the current state of Advance Care Planning (ACP) in the Philippines, where the health system operates within a fragmented environment, with mixed private and public provisions. Despite some attempts to introduce legislation to foster ACP implementation, patient autonomy remains subordinate to family values and physician authority within the Southeast Asian culture. The article also highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the norms of the global healthcare force and pushed Palliative Medicine specialists to take on stronger roles in the battle lines against health-related suffering. The Palliative Care Consultants, advocates along with Philippine Society of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (PSHPM) and Hospice Philippines Inc. have been playing a significant role in promoting and supporting ACP through education and training, advocacy, research and development, networking and collaboration.

Keywords: Advance Care Planning; Palliative Medicine; Palliative Medicine Specialists; Palliativmediziner*innen; Palliativversorgung; Partizipative Entscheidungsfindung; Philippine Legislation; Philippinische Gesetzgebung; Shared decision-making; Vorausschauende Gesundheitsplanung.