title: The Philippines Field Management Training Program (FMTP): strengthening management capacity in a decentralized public health system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The decentralization of the Philippines' health sector in 1991 sought to improve the efficiency of local health resource allocation; however, local officials were unprepared for the increased responsibility. In 1999 the Philippines Department of Health, with assistance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), implemented the Philippines Field Management Training Program (FMTP) to provide local health officials with the managerial skills needed to perform their new, more responsible jobs. This paper addresses whether the FMTP has provided participants with useful managerial skills needed for their more responsible positions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The method involved reviewing program outcomes, including results of applied management improvement projects the participants completed to solve managerial problems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 2000 and 2010, 294 participants completed the FMTP and many were later promoted to more responsible positions. The participants also completed 204 applied management improvement projects resulting in documented improvements in service delivery, information systems, logistics, health insurance, policy and laboratory outcomes. Examples of their successes are included in this paper.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results provide compelling evidence that managers are using the skills learned to solve significant managerial problems.
authors.affiliation: Applied Public Health Division, National Epidemiology Center (NEC), Department of Health, Bldg. 19 San Lazaro Compound, Sta. Cruz, 1003, Manila, Philippines, manemia_sucaldito@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Nemia L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Sucaldito
authors.forename: Enrique A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Tayag
authors.forename: Maria Concepcion R
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Roces
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Malison
authors.forename: Brian D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Robie
authors.forename: Elizabeth H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Howze
mesh_terms: D057191:Capacity Building / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010679:Philippines; D011057:Politics; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011635:Public Health Administration; D014481:United States