Government Websites

http://www.ombudsman.gov.ph

Five Major Functions:

To carry out its mandate, the Ombudsman is charged with five major functions:

First, to investigate anomalies and inefficiency. The Ombudsman exercises unique prerogatives. He does not only conduct the preliminary investigation of cases which may be filed at his Office. He even has the authority to conduct the fact-finding investigation to gather evidence.

The Ombudsman administers oaths, issues subpoena and takes testimony in any investigation or inquiry. He has the power to punish for contempt and grant immunity to any vital witness. He is the only authority other than the courts of law who may order the examination of the bank accounts of person under investigation pursuant to Section 15 of the Republic Act No. 6770.

Second, prosecution. The Philippine Ombudsman has the power to prosecute graft cases before the courts. He has the Special Prosecutor to prosecute cases in the Sandiganbayan. He deputizes regular prosecutors to handle the cases in the regular courts.

Third, administrative adjudication. The Ombudsman also holds disciplinary authority over all elective and appointive officials, except members of Congress and the Judiciary and impeachable officials. With this power, he may conduct administrative proceedings and impose administrative penalties where the erring public official or employee may be ordered suspended or dismissed from public service.

Fourth, public assistance. Under the law, he may require public officials and employees to render assistance to the people. This traditional role of all Ombudsman system is very much performed by the Philippine Ombudsman such that, over the past year, it had acted upon and successfully secured relief in more than 12,000 instances of requests.

Fifth, graft prevention. It embraces the study and adoption of ways and means to minimize, if not to eliminate, the opportunities for committing corruption, to heighten people’s awareness of the evils and solicit their cooperation in its eradication.

http://www.philhealth.gov.ph/

THE call to serve the rural indigents echoed since the early '60s when the Philippine Medical Association introduced the MARIA Project which prioritized aid to communities in need of medical assistance. The Project would then be considered a valuable precursor to the Medicare program, from which a medical care plan for the entire Philippines was created. On August 4, 1969, Republic Act 6111 or the Philippine Medical Care Act of 1969 was signed by President Ferdinand E. Marcos which was eventually implemented in August 1971.

The Philippine Medical Care Commission (PMCC) was tasked to oversee the implementation of the program which went for almost a quarter of a century.

In the 1990s, a vision for a better, more responsive government health care program was prompted by the passage of several bills that had significant implications on health financing. The public's clamor for a health insurance that is more comprehensive in terms of covered population and benefits led to the development of House Bill 14225 and Senate Bill 01738 which became "The National Health Insurance Act of 1995" or Republic Act 7875, signed by President Fidel V. Ramos on February 14, 1995. The law paved the way for the creation of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), mandated to provide social health insurance coverage to all Filipinos in 15 years' time.

PhilHealth assumed the responsibility of administering the former Medicare program for government and private sector employees from the Government Service Insurance System in October 1997, from the Social Security System in April 1998, and from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in March 2005.

http://www.pids.gov.ph/

The Philippine Institute for Development Studies was created on September 26, 1977. PIDS was established to respond to the critical and growing need for research for planning and policy formulation.

In general, PIDS research is envisioned to help government planners and policy-makers in the executive and legislative branches of government. Its primary clientele consists of the network of agencies which make up the National Economic and Development Authority.

PIDS was established by by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1201. PIDS is organized as a nonstock, nonprofit government corporation.

Roles and Goals
Broadly stated, the goals of PIDS are:

1) To develop and implement a comprehensive and integrated research program that will provide the research materials and studies required for the formulation of national development plans and policies;

2) To serve as a common link between the government and existing research institutions;

3) To establish a repository for economic research information and other related activities.

Programs and Activities
To carry out its mandate, the Institute has maintained three basic programs, namely:

Research Program;
Outreach Program; and
Dissemination and Research Utilization Program.