The Social Innovation in Health Initiative (SIHI) is a network of partner institutions and a community of stakeholders established in 2014 through TDR’s leadership to advance research on social innovations and improve health care delivery in the Global South. SIHI Philippines, launched in 2017 and hosted at the University of the Philippines Manila, is one of the hubs in the global SIHI network being supported by TDR.
Below are recent developments on initiatives led by SIHI Philippines.
Gelia Castillo Award for Research on Social Innovations in Health
Ten outstanding community-led health initiatives in the Philippines were selected for the third cycle of the Gelia Castillo Award for Research on Social Innovations in Health from more than 70 submissions nationwide.
The selection process took into consideration the importance of tackling gender-related inequities in health, particularly among vulnerable populations, in areas such as maternal and child health, nutrition and food security, and sexual and reproductive health. A training and mentorship programme was conducted from March to May 2025 to assist awardees in strengthening their implementation research and scaling their impact.
Awardees, organizers, and collaborators pose for a group photo after the 2024 Gelia Castillo Award for Research on Social Innovation in Health awarding ceremony, held on 16 May 2025 at the Admiral Hotel, Manila. Photo credit: SIHI Philippines
The Gelia Castillo Award for Research on Social Innovations in Health was established in 2020 through a collaboration between the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Health Research and Development and SIHI Philippines. The award celebrates innovative, community-rooted solutions that tackle persistent health system challenges in the Philippines and supports their growth through research.
SIHI Philippines develops an equity-focused evaluation tool for social innovations in health
A research team from SIHI Philippines is developing a framework connecting social innovations in health with evaluation of equity. This is being done through a grant from the St. Luke's Medical Center Health Equity and Research (HERE) Foundation.
A study titled "Development and Pilot of an Equity-Focused Evaluation Tool for Social Innovations in Health" explores how social innovations in health can advance equity across communities. The research involves identifying the factors that promote or hinder equitable outcomes through the development of an evaluation tool for inclusive, people-centered innovations. Through a combination of literature reviews, expert consultations, and pilot testing, the study aims to create a practical framework to guide equity-focused assessments and inform programmes, policies, and funding decisions.
The team is led by Dr Meredith Del Pilar-Labarda, Dr Jose Rene Cruz, Dr Jana Deborah Mier-Alpaño, Mr Rafael Deo Estanislao, Dr Pauline Marie Tiangco, Mr Jerome Alan Mejarito and Dr Pamela Bianca Pasco.
By recognizing gender-related dimensions within the evaluation framework, this initiative supports the design and implementation of social innovations that contribute to more equitable and gender-responsive health systems.
For more information, please contact Dr Mariam Otmani del Barrio.