Although health facilities have become available and accessible in most communities, many remain unaware of the services offered and consequently seek more specialized care in hospitals rather than their Rural Health Units (RHUs) or Barangay Health Stations (BHS). Government primary health facilities are conveniently located, with 94 percent of households being within 15-minute walking distance to an RHU or BHS. Such facilities are frequently bypassed, however, for more specialized care. RHU resources remain underutilized, while higher level facilities are overcrowded, unnecessarily causing a state of inaccessibility.
In terms of health facility utilization, the Filipino Report Card on Pro-Poor Services in 2000 showed that 77 percent of households surveyed used health facilities of one type or another. Compared with rural households, urban households tended to use health facility services more. Because of the lower cost of health services, patients more frequently utilized government facilities than private facilities. Rich households and urban dwellers were the predominant users of private facilities. Rich households and urban dwellers were the predominant users of private facilities.
From 2007 to 2010, the government allotted PhP8.43 Billion to upgrade around 1,176 health facilities nationwide.