Aiming to strengthen school health and nutrition programs, the Department of Education (DepEd),
together with the Department of Health (DOH), launched healthy learning institutions in the basic
education sector through a ceremony held in Quirino High School, Quezon City, yesterday, October 11.
Carrying the theme “Pinalakas na Oplan Kalusugan sa DepEd, Pinatatag na Healthy Learning
Institutions,” the ceremony gathered Executive Committee leaders of both DepEd and DOH, local
government representatives of the host city, and selected school health and nutrition personnel from
across the country to highlight the importance of a whole-of-government and whole of society approach
to strengthening school health programs. Institutionalized in 2018, Oplan Kalusugan sa DepEd or OK sa
DepEd is the convergence of the Department’s health and nutrition initiatives for their effective and
efficient implementation at the school level, in partnership with various stakeholders.
“I look forward to receiving the results of your consultative workshop summarizing the issues, concerns,
and recommendations from regional school health and nutrition personnel, including the Bangsamoro
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte said
Early this year, DepEd established a partnership with the DOH and other national government agencies to
strengthen school health under the basic education sector as Healthy Learning Institutions (HLI) or Health
Iskwela, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Education
(DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Legal Education Board (LEB), Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)
Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2022-0001 titled Guidelines on Healthy Settings Framework in
Learning Institutions. Pursuant to Section 30 of Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act, the
JAO operationalizes the designation of schools as healthy settings, based on standards set by the DOH
and DepEd.
The DOH manifested its gratitude for the efforts of the DepEd particularly in prioritizing learners’ health
and well-being. The Department also expressed its commitment to support the DepEd in this endeavor.
“Through a whole of government and whole of society approach, the DOH commits to helping DepEd in
ensuring learners’ health and well-being through improving access to health care, creating and writing
healthy school policies; creating conducive physical and social environments; strengthening links with
community on health; and reinforcing health skills and education. We are confident that this innovative
strategy of deep cooperation between the sectors of health and education in the national, regional, and
local levels will be fruitful in maximizing the positive impact of education in Filipino learners’
development in Health Iskwelas,” said DOH OIC-Undersecretary Dr. Beverly Lorraine C. Ho
The Health Iskwela framework is currently being pilot-tested in 273 last-mile elementary schools in eight
provinces and one city. Further, the said program is also intended to be adopted as the framework for OK
sa DepEd.
“The HLI Framework, based on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) six 6) pillars of a health
promoting school, serves as an effective guide as to how we can strengthen the implementation our
existing health and nutrition programs under OK sa DepEd,” Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo said