3rd WPFI National Assembly
Apo View Hotel , Davao City

USAID Deputy Mission Director Francis Donovan listens as Dr. Richard Moore, Vice President of the JSI Research and Training Institute Incorporated explains the initiatives to mainstream Well Family Midwife Clinics (WFMC) at the opening of the 3rd WFMC Partnerships Foundation Inc (WPFI) National Assembly.

Funds for the establishment of these clinics, which offer quality and affordable maternal and child care services nationwide in conflict affected areas in Mindanao were provided by USAID through JSI.

For eight years, USAID has been a willing partner of both the government and the private sector in improving the health care sector.

Mr. Donovan and the other guests listen as WPFI president Warlito Vicente assures the sustainability of the USAID-initiated project.

Assembly guests (r-l) include Population Commission 11 Director Maduh Damsani, USAID program management specialist Charito Redoblado, JSI resident advisor in the Philippines Easter Dasmariñas, Mr. Donovan, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, Dr. Moore (hidden) and Nilda Perez, USAID program management specialist.

Mr. Donovan and Ms. Dasmariñas discuss the WFMC concept with multi awarded broadcast journalist and reproductive health advocate Ces Oreña-Drilon at the 2nd WFMC Diamond Awards ceremonies.

Ms. Drilon, who was the keynote speaker, lauded the midwife-entrepreneurs and the project for empowering women and helping ease poverty in the country.

Ms. Drilon, Dr. Vicente and Phil. League of Government Midwives President Cecilia Bianca- Santos congratulate midwife-entrepreneur Gertrudes Luderico of Pasig City.

Ms. Luderico bagged the Centenary Diamond Award for excellence in business management.

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WPFI is the franchisor of the Well-Family Midwife Clinics (WFMC) all over the Philippines committed to provide affordable, quality, convenient heath care to clients belonging to the lower and middle income markets. With the theme, "WFMC Franchising: An Innovation in the Business of Health," the WFMC Partnerships Foundation, Inc. (WPFI) aims to mainstream itself into the commercial franchise industry by introducing its brand of quality health care to the private sector.

The WFMCs will remain committed to their social mission of promoting family planning and maternal and child health care service (FP/MCH) at affordable prices so "that most Filipinos will have access to this service.

This gathering was attended by over 200 participants, majority of whom are midwife-entrepreneurs from all over the country, non-governmental organizations, midwives associations, and participating representatives from other private for-profit and non-profit agencies.

Aside from the mainstreaming of the WFMC network into the commercial franchise industry, this year’s national assembly strengthened the network’s strategic and business plan and to further arm the WFMC midwives with clinical and business knowledge based on new developments in the maternal and family planning services. Already, a reasonable number of the WFMCs are now accredited with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) as service providers for the Maternity Care Package for any PhilHealth member.

To date, WFMCs can be found in most key urban areas and municipalities of the country. The network was established in partnership with 10 NGOs around the country, namely, the Cebu Family Planning Organization, Inc. (Cebu FPOI); Community Health and Development, Inc., (COMDEV); Davao Medical School Foundation - Center for Education, Research and Development in Health (DMSF-CERDH); Hope for Change, Inc. (HFC); Integrated Maternal Child Care Services and Development, Inc. (IMCCSDI); Institute of Maternal and Child Health (IMCH); Kadtuntaya Foundation, Inc. (KFI); Leyte Family Development Foundation (LEFADO); Negros Occidental Rehabilitation Foundation, Inc. (NORFI); and the NORFIL Foundation, Inc. (NORFIL).

The WFMC third national assembly was supported by USAID and sponsored by Nestle Philippines and Dumex Philippines.