An authority said on Thursday that girls’s healthcare within the Philippines lags five years behind other Southeast Asian countries, raising concerns about accessibility and awareness.
“The healthcare industry here, particularly women’s health, has a lot potential to be filled and to be a lot opportunity for growth and in addition for development,” Carol Joanna Violago-Olivarez, founder and chief executive officer of Eluvo Health, told BusinessWorld in an interview.
“We’re already five years behind our Southeast Asian neighbors and global institutions. It’s only a matter of bringing in what’s there already and putting it here,” she added.
Data from the Hologic Global Women’s Health Index 12 months 4 Global Report revealed that the Philippines ranked 109th out of 141 countries, scoring 45 points. This can be a 3-point decline on the year-over-year rating index.
Within the East and Southeast Asian region, Taiwan ranked the very best globally with 68 points, followed by Singapore with 64 points. Japan and Vietnam trailed behind with 62 points.
The worldwide index goals to measure women’s health through five categories, including preventive care, emotional health, opinions of health and safety, basic needs, and individual health.
The Philippines scored 16 points in preventive care, 57 points in emotional health, 75 points in opinions of health and safety, 30 points in basic needs, and 71 points in individual health.
“I might say that our experience in training, on the subject of our exposure in public hospitals and personal hospitals… I feel that the extent of our expertise may be very much at par with international,” Ms. Olivarez said.
“There’s a lot potential for us because now we have the most effective compassionate healthcare providers on this planet,” she added.
The notice and accessibility in women’s health are linked to the country’s culture as a conservative nation, with over 80% of the population identifying as Catholic.
“It goes back to the concept women got here from that perception that you simply only have to get checked if you’re pregnant. The truth is, it shouldn’t be even reactive,” she said. “We needs to be getting ourselves checked because that’s how we empower ourselves.”
“I actually have to say, that is even something that we don’t fully touch up on during our training. The community awareness, training, and in addition culture,” she added.
Eluvo Health
Eluvo Health clinic, launched on Thursday, goals to deal with the gaps in women’s health and the way Filipinas receive their wellness needs.
“Eluvo is for the trendy women who need to be the most effective that they might be and who takes control of their health,” Ms. Olivarez said.
“Even from the design…we would like it to be something that girls are proud to go to. Like, you’re not embarrassed to go,” she added. “It’s like, I’m going here because I’m this level of wealth, that is me taking control of my health.”
The clinic offers services including fertility, maternal health, family planning, sexual health, and hormone health, amongst others, starting from P3,000 to P90,000.
In Q2 of 2026, Eluvo will open its second branch in Quezon City and a 3rd branch in Makati by Q3 to Q4.— Almira Louise S. Martinez