Philippines: Media for One Health project launched in Makati

The Media for One Health project, funded by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and implemented by CFI, in collaboration with the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), aims to train 14 Filipino journalists to produce content in line with the One Health approach. 

Media for One Health: paving the way for a healthier and more sustainable future

In Southeast Asia, human and animal densities are among the highest in the world. The pressure that societies exert on the environment (deforestation, urbanisation, transport), coupled with the consequences of global warming (droughts, typhoons, flooding), can have a major impact on health. This situation means that, rather than continuing to segregate environmental, veterinary and medical issues, we develop a more comprehensive vision of health that takes account of the interdependence between the environment, animal health and human health. This approach constitutes the “One Heath” concept.

However, this approach remains poorly understood by the populations and the media. The mission of the “Media for One Health” project is to strengthen media skills in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines, by training around 50 journalists in total and supporting the production of “One Health” content. 

The aim: raising awareness by encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration and involving all communities

The project launch was attended by 113 representatives of political bodies, media outlets, international and civil society organisations, as well as numerous scientists and the 14 Philippines journalists selected to take part in this project. All gathered to take part in raising awareness on the One Health approach and how to operationalize it in the local setting.

Discussions focused on the implications of the “One Health” approach for the Philippines, its implementation across the ASEAN region with Ms. Flavie Goutard, veterinarian and epidemiologist at CIRAD, and Dr. Vicente Y. Belizario, Jr., professor at the College of Public Health and president of the Philippine Academic Consortium for Public Health, followed by Ms. Pia Ranada, Rappler’s Community Lead, who presented the role of the media and civil society in raising public awareness over the “One Health” approach.

In the afternoon, Ms. Anna Oposa, Executive Director of Save Philippine Seas, Dr. Lionel Dabbadie, FAO Philippines Representative, and Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim, Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), discussed with the audience the importance of the “One Health” approach when it comes to the aquatic and marine environment.

Dr. Christelle Mae A. Cuevas, Technical Advisor for USAID Breakthrough Action, Remil L. Galay, Director of the Zoonoses Center at the University of the Philippines of Los Banos (UPLB), and Dr. Amado Antonio III, Veterinarian at the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), Department of Agriculture, engaged in a very insightful discussion on infectious, re-emerging, and zoonotic diseases. 

The event concluded on a high note, with Ms. Geela Garcia, Multimedia Journalist, and Ms. Eva Lecat, General Coordinator of Médecins du Monde Philippines, engaging in a highly informative exchange on the crucial link between women’s health and climate change.