Zuellig Family Foundation
 Logo of the organization | |
| Formation | 2008 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-governmental organization |
Region served | Philippines |
President and Executive Director | Austere Panadero[1] |
| Website | zuelligfoundation |
The Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) is a Philippine nonprofit organization that works to improve health outcomes in poor and underserved communities, mainly through health leadership and governance training for local government leaders.[2][3][4][5] It was established in 1997 as the Pharmaceutical Health and Family Foundation and was renamed to Zuellig Family Foundation in 2008.[1][2][5] The foundation is rooted in the Zuellig family’s long history in healthcare in Asia.[1][6]
Background
ZFF was formally renamed in 2008 to reflect the Zuellig family's growing focus on health-centered philanthropy.[2][5] Roberto Romulo, then chairman, invited former Agrarian Reform Secretary Ernesto Garilao to serve as ZFF’s founding president.[1][2] Former Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Austere Panadero, who joined in 2018 as executive director, was appointed president in 2023.[1]
The foundation receives financial support from the Zuellig family, contributing about PHP 150 million annually during its early years, averaging $2.3 million per year in recent years.[2][4]
Programs
ZFF is known for its Health Leadership and Governance Program, which focuses on training local leaders to become effective stewards of health in their communities.[3][7][8] This is part of what ZFF calls its Health Change Model, which emphasises the importance of local leadership in addressing health system gaps.[2][3][6][7][8]
Its approach attempts to encourage collaboration between different parts of the local health system, including provincial hospitals, municipal health officers, and barangay health workers.[3][6][7] The foundation also partners with academic institutions to deliver its training programs.[7]
The foundation’s initial focus was on reducing maternal deaths, aligning with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).[2][6][7] From 2008 to 2013, ZFF reported dramatic improvements in maternal and child health outcomes, in which the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of municipalities in the first training cohort fell from 167 to 42, the second cohort from 193 to 55 and the third from 141 to 41.[6]
Recognition
In 2017, Forbes Asia recognized ZFF as one of its "Heroes of Philanthropy", citing its work in improving health services in rural areas and its impact on maternal and child mortality.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e Arceo-Dumlao, Tina (13 April 2023). "New Zuellig Foundation chief". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g Pedrasa, Ira P. (14 February 2016). "Zuellig foundation's heart beats for health". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d Buban, Charles E. (8 June 2013). "Helping improve local health system". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
- ^ a b c Gonzales, Iris (29 June 2017). "Zuellig family, Medved-Po among Forbes' philanthropy heroes". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
- ^ a b c "Zuellig organizations respond to COVID-19". The Philippine Star. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Chia, Audrey, and Yee Wei Lim (16 December 2016). "The Zuellig Family Foundation: A Strategic Philanthropic Approach to Integrated Care". International Journal of Integrated Care. 16 (6): 193. doi:10.5334/ijic.2741.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d e Buban, Charles E. (2 May 2015). "Local program helps lower high rates of maternal deaths". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
- ^ a b Locsin, Chickie R. (7 February 2015). "Zuellig Foundation taps mayor power to improve rural healthcare system". Vera Files. Retrieved 29 July 2025.