The Department of Health (DOH) is the principal health agency in the Philippines. It is responsible for ensuring access to basic public health services to all Filipinos through the provision of quality health care and regulation of providers of health goods and services. Given the mandate, DOH is both a stakeholder in the health sector and a policy and regulatory body for health. As a major player, DOH is a technical resource, a catalyzer for health policy and a political sponsor and advocate for health issues in behalf of the health sector.