05/08/2026
๐จ๐ฃ ๐ก๐ง๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐๐ณ๐๐น๐น๐ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ด๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ก๐ฅ๐ ๐ช๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐
MANILA, 5 August 2026 โ The University of the Philippines National Telehealth Center (UP NTHC), in its capacity as the Department of Health's formally recognized National Release Center (NRC), successfully concluded its first-ever NRC Webinar Series, a four-part online learning initiative held every Thursday of July 2026. The series brought together stakeholders from varying backgrounds such as healthcare professionals, data scientists, government representatives, researchers, students, and other stakeholders, with a shared interest in advancing health data standards and interoperability in the Philippines.
As the inaugural public engagement activity of the UP NTHC as an NRC, the webinar series introduced participants to the NRC's role in the governance and management of national healthcare terminology assets, while equipping them with foundational knowledge on health data quality, semantic standards, terminology services, and terminology asset management.
The series featured four expert-led sessions:
โข Module 1: Achieving Data Quality in Healthcare by Manu Gaspar, MSc, PMP, Program Manager, UP NTHC
โข Module 2: The Role of Semantic Standards in Interoperability by Jan Michael Herber, RN, Terminology Manager, UP NTHC
โข Module 3: Introduction to Terminology Services by Sofia Capistrano, MD, Terminology Specialist, UP NTHC
โข Module 4: Introduction to Terminology Asset Management by Cherrie D. Esteban, MM, OIC Director IV, DOH-KMITS
The completion of the webinar series marks an important milestone for the UP NTHC as an NRC, reflecting the growing interest in health information standards and the importance of building local capacity to support interoperable, data-driven healthcare.
UP NTHC extends its heartfelt appreciation to all resource speakers and participants whose active engagement made the inaugural NRC Webinar Series a resounding success. The institution looks forward to delivering more capacity-building initiatives that empower stakeholders and advance digital health and interoperability in the Philippines.
Moreover, as part of its continuing knowledge-sharing efforts, UP NTHC encourages participants and stakeholders to follow its social media platforms for upcoming FAQ posts based on participants' questions, as well as recordings of each webinar module.
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The National Release Center (NRC) is the national authority responsible for managing and distributing Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terminology (SNOMED CT) and related clinical terminology resources. It oversees the development and maintenance of the Philippine SNOMED CT National Extension, publishes terminology assets for authorized users, and provides governance, training, and support to promote consistent adoption and interoperability across the country's health sector.
The NRC is supported by the Department of Health (Philippines).
