The National TB Control Program conducted its first National Consultative Planning (NCP) last February 7-10, 2017 at Bali Village Hotel Resort and Kubo Spa, Tagaytay City. This has been a back-to-back activity with the National AIDS/STI Prevention and Control Program (NASCP) in the conduct of its operational planning with the regional coordinators for HIV Strategic Plan 2018-2022.

As the NTP's National Strategic Plan shifts from PhilPACT to PhilSTEP, the event targets to explain the global, regional and national status of TB control and the corresponding strategic plan, analyze the regional accomplishments on TB Control, identify priority activities for 2017 towards TB Elimination and to discuss the strategic plan for HIV.

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Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) takes the lead in organizing the five batches of the PMDT Data Quality Check and Plan Enhancement Workshop which ran from January 16 to February 2, 2017.

The activity schedule began with the Mindanao Cluster held at Dakak Park and Beach Resort, Dapitan Zamboanga from January 16-18; and the Visayas Cluster which was conducted at Crown Regency Courtyard Resort, Boracay Aklan from January 18-20; this was followed by North and South Luzon cluster at The Oriental Bataan, Mariveles Bataan from January 24 to 27; and the last batch was the NCR Cluster which took place at Best Western Plus Hotel Subic, Subic Zambales from January 31 to February 2.

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The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs Project entitled: "Making the Global Fund Money Work" was launched in the Philippines last January 12-13, 2017 at Pan Pacific Hotel, Malate Manila. This is a five year project synced with USAID Challenge TB (CTB) program and Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The project's goal is to come up with models that can implement integrated TB-HIV programs in the spirit of public-private partnership. It has three objectives: 1) to improve the quality of TB/HIV care services in the non-public sector; 2) to strengthen routine case finding activities and improve treatment success rates in the non-public sector; and 3) to facilitate compliance with inclusiveness requirements of the GF-NFM through engagement with non-public sector (private providers and civil society).

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A meeting on the finalization of the guidelines on TBMS in jails and prisons was done last January 6, 2017 at DOH Central Office-Tayuman. The activity was participated by key stakeholders from International Cooperation for Red Cross (ICRC), MiMaRoPa Regional Health Office, Manila Health Department, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Innovations and Multisectoral Partnerships to Achieve Control of Tuberculosis (IMPACT), Technical Assistance Support to Countries (TASC) and Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DPCB).

Dr. Anna Marie Celina Garfin (NTP Manager - DPCB) facilitated the discussion. The group provided valuable inputs in the draft guidelines. Some of the agreements were placing of annexes to shorten certain parts like the background and rationale; to highlight the significance of TBMS with strong evidence; TB Mass Screening should not be a replacement to routine screenings (entry, symptoms surveillance and self-referrals; enhancement of the reporting system of BJMP/ Prisons; inclusion of the good practices such as the use of biometrics, prison code and carpeta as a means of verification in identifying inmates to avoid switching and proxy during TBMS; changes in the computation of logistics and harmonization of the logistic tool.

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The end of the National Tuberculosis Control Programs 2010-2016 Philippine Plan of Action to Control Tuberculosis (PhilPACT) marked the shift of the programs direction from disease control to elimination. Yet, the process involved in the formulation of the new NSP is complex and has started with the conduct of the National Joint Program Review way back March 2016. With its ongoing development, one of the identified key strategy is the involvement of various partners and stakeholders. Thus, NTP has been conducting several consultations with various agencies since their inputs and participation are central towards a more holistic approach to TB elimination.

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