Legal Consultant

Legal Consultant

Project Overview and Role:

USAID’s ProtectHealth, formally known as the Health Equity and Financial Protection Platform, is a five-year (2019-2024) United States Agency for International Development (USAID) health financing policy project implemented by Palladium. USAID’s ProtectHealth supports the Government of the Philippines (GPH)’s implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act by addressing health financing policy bottlenecks. In collaboration with other USAID implementing partners (IPs), USAID’s ProtectHealth supports the GPH to enhance access and financing to meet key tuberculosis (TB), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and family planning (FP) outcomes while realizing its goal of achieving UHC.

The project advocates that the national government’s priorities and catch-up strategies be translated operationally into two broad strategic adjustments that shall also be reflected in the USAID support strategy. The first broad strategy is to streamline implementation of the UHC Act implementation, which involves developing adaptation strategies for priority programs under the GPH’s terminology of the “new and better normal”; better delineate financing accountabilities of the Department of Health (DOH), the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and local government units (LGUs); and leverage GPH financing to drive local integration, expanding private sector contracting; and focus financing to securing access to a basic service package, e.g., immediate eligibility and primary health care.

The second broad strategy is for DOH and PhilHealth to systematically introduce reforms in governance, service delivery and financing by assisting specific sites in their local health system integration efforts. Related to this, the project will also undertake testing of specific interventions in selected areas to guide the wider implementation of UHC.

Under the two broad strategies, activities under USAID’s ProtectHealth’s Year 3 Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) were organized into five workstreams, which correspond to three Life of Project (LOP) result areas:

Provide support to national health financing policy design to address financing bottlenecks to achieving TB, FP and HIV health outcomes

Provide support to strengthen DOH capacity for budget management

Provide support to DOH and PhilHealth on benefit package design and strategic purchasing

Develop, strengthen, and institutionalize broad health financing Data Demand and Information Use (DDIU) related to health utilization and financial protection.

Develop, strengthen, and institutionalize DOH, PhilHealth and LGUs capacity to design and implement operations research as well as implementation research (IR) to monitor effectiveness of health financing reforms.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

The Consultant assigned to this position shall provide support to the project on legal issues concerning the implementation of Universal Health Care Law (Republic Act 11223) and related national and local government implementing guidelines, benefit package design, grants financing, and related issues as it applies to the five workstreams of the project.

Under Workstream 1, the consultant shall provide technical advice on the legal framework to delineate financing of individual and population-based services among the national agencies, DOH and PhilHealth, and the LGUs.

For Workstreams 3 and 5, the consultant shall provide advise at which the provincial or city UIS can define terms of sharing of revenues among health staff and facilities as PhilHealth accredited providers given existing national and local policies and guidelines governing the utilization of PhilHealth payments, pooling of funds for health under the Special Health Fund, and the overall financial management by the LGUs as autonomous and independent government institutions.

Encompassing Workstreams 3 and 5, the legal consultant shall also provide technical advice to harmonize regulatory requirements of the primary care facilities (PCF). It also includes providing options for accredited providers in contracting laboratory and diagnostic, chest x-ray and pharmacy services under the Konsulta Benefit Package given existing guidelines on PCF licensing and Konsulta Benefit Package accreditation.

For Workstream 5, the consultant shall provide advice and recommend the adoption of legal instruments to capture the inter-LGU agreements to facilitate local health systems integration, the scope and terms of agreement between the LGUs vis national agencies, other LGUs and private sector, among others.

The technical areas provided under each of the workstreams above are taken as basis for providing legal assistance or illustrations of possible legal advice the consultants shall provide. Other related legal concerns may emerge as ProtectHealth responds to other relevant UHC implementation issues that may be raised by the DOH, PhilHealth or the USG-assisted UHC implementation sites.

In the process of providing technical assistance (TA) to DOH, PhilHealth and LGUs, USAID’s ProtectHealth project shall emphasize the provision of evidence-based advice and recommendations. Further, USAID’s ProtectHealth shall adopt principles of adaptive management by systematically keeping track of GPH strategies and policies impacting the health sector. USAID’s ProtectHealth shall also learn and share key lessons with the DOH, PhilHealth, USAID, and other implementing partners (IPs).

Specific tasks, level of effort, and timing

The Consultant shall support USAID’s ProtectHealth by providing legal advice to DOH, PhilHealth and/or selected project sites on any of the five workstreams of the Project. Specifically, the consultant is expected to provide support along any or all of the following types of technical activities:

Provide advice on specific legal and related issues or topics identified by the project as indicated above;

Perform other tasks as may be defined by the Chief of Party or the Deputy Chief of Party or the Health Financing and Systems Strengthening Advisor.

Specific tasks and timelines will be outlined in individual consultant Work Orders, priced either by a daily rate or a fixed-price per deliverable, subject to agreement between the consultant and the project.

Required Qualifications:

Degree in Bachelor of Law or Juris Doctor and have passed the Philippine Bar Examination

At least six (6) years of relevant experience in working with the government (local and national levels)

Knowledge of Philippine Local Government Code or RA 7160; Universal Health Care (UHC) Act or RA 11223; and related DOH, PhilHealth, and other national agency policies and implementing guidelines.

Previous experience working with DOH, PhilHealth, DILG, and LGUs will be an advantage.

Demonstrated proficiency in client management and coordination with multiple stakeholders

Effective written and verbal communication skills in English and demonstrated ability to produce high quality reports deliverables in a timely manner.

Strong organizational skills to ensure activities, timelines, and progress occur on schedule

Proficiency in MS Office applications;

Ability to work with low level of supervision and as a part of a team when required. 

Company Overview:

About Palladium – Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 3,000 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies and, most importantly, people’s lives.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion – Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding – We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.

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