For one week starting on May 28, 2025, a total of nine people, consist of MPH and PhD students and the faculty members from the School of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University (KUSPH) visited Manila, Philippines, and visited international organizations including the World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional Office (WHO/WPRO) and others.

This visit was part of the Global Immersion for Future Talent Program (GIFT Scholarship Program), which was newly launched this year. The program aims to cultivate a global perspective for KUSPH students who aspire to pursue an international career in the field of public health through dialogue with experts working in international organizations and opportunities to present their research.

On May 29, the delegation visited the WHO Philippines Country Office. Officials from the WHO Country Office and the Department of Health of the Philippines explained the country’s efforts to improve its health insurance system, “PhilHealth,” as well as issues and countermeasures in the field of mental health, and there was an active exchange of opinions.

In the afternoon, through the WHO Philippines Country Office, the participants visited the National Center for Geriatric Health (NCGH) to learn about the actual services provided at the facility, which specializes in geriatric medical care. In addition to hearing explanations from doctors on-site, the participants also toured the facility, deepening their understanding of the current state of geriatric medical care in the Philippines.

On May 30, the participants visited the JICA Philippines Office and received an explanation about Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) support activities for the country. In particular, it was an opportunity to learn about support efforts in a wide range of fields, such as support for COVID-19 countermeasures and support for building an emergency medical support system through public-private partnerships with Japanese companies.

On June 2, the participants visited the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WHO/WPRO) and received an explanation of the current status and strategies of a wide range of activities, including “Healthy Ageing,” “Digital Health,” and “Emergency Disaster Response,” which are targeted at more than 30 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The participants gained a deeper understanding of the role and practice of the regional office in the field of global health.

The knowledge and insight gained from this visit will be utilized in future research and educational activities, and it was a major step towards helping students and faculty at KUSPH develop into individuals with a global perspective who can contribute to solving various social and health issues.