This effort drew on the participation of a government and United Nations (UN) agency joining forces to offer awards in 3 categories: the GGM Awards for Local Government Units (LGUs), the GGM Awards for DoH and other government hospitals, and lastly, the GGM Awards for the private sector. Entries were invited through an online submission form due on or before January 30 2009. Applicants were asked to detail how the following good governance principles are carried out in their organisation/institution: Existing structures and systems for medicines programme/s, systems and practices in improving transparency and good governance, systems and practices for rational selection and use of medicines, procurement and management for medicines, ensuring safety and quality of medicines, financing of medicines, and availability and prices of medicines.

The idea here is that there are many promising initiatives that are undertaken across the country to improve access to medicines at the local level. By recognising such innovative practices and providing models for others to follow, organisers hope to make examples of those who have taken efforts to communicate - through their organisational/institutional actions - the message that good governance and transparency are highly essential in ensuring access to medicines by all those who will need them.

Access to Medicines.

Organisers explain that the challenge for good governance in the Philippines becomes more critical in the context of a decentralised health system. The Local Government Code has devolved health services to LGUs, with each level procuring medicines on their own. Transparency and accountability become an issue, as illustrated by this case example: Commissioned by WHO in 2006, a study of 10 LGUs across income levels revealed that, of the total health budget, the allocation for medicines was only .08% in a 6th class municipality and 10% in one of the biggest cities. The procurement cycle was found to be between 2 and 18 months, making essential medicines unavailable most of the time. Further, availability of core essential medicines is only around 10-12%. On the other hand, the WHO/HAI survey in 2006 showed that the price of medicines in the Philippines is 3.4 to 184 times higher than the international reference prices and that the availability of core essential medicines is only 11.5% and 15% in the public and private sector, respectively.

According to organisers, 10 - 25% of global spending on public procurement of medicines is lost to corruption. The World Bank has identified corruption as the single greatest obstacle to economic and social development. In an attempt to curb this corruption, and guided by WHO's Medicines Strategy 2004-2007, WHO initiated the Good Governance for Medicines programme in 2004. The programme's goal is to reduce corruption in pharmaceutical sector systems through the application of transparent, accountable administrative procedures and the promotion of ethical practices among health professionals. The programme operates in 10 countries - 8 in Asia-Pacific, 1 in Latin America, and 1 in Africa. The focus is on consolidating ongoing efforts in these countries, and on adding new ones, including those from other regions.