Written by 
The Philippines has been nominated to be President of the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) to be held in Geneva, Switzerland in May 2025.
This nomination is historic as it is the first time that the Philippines will lead the prestigious Health Assembly since the World Health Organization was founded in 1948.
The WHA is the highest decision-making body of the WHO and is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.
It is attended by delegations from all 194 WHO Member States, with 37 countries and areas of which are in the Western Pacific.
The main functions of the WHA are to determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed program budget.
The officers of the WHA are formally elected by acclamation at the start of each session in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the WHA.
The President oversees the conduct of the WHA and guides the Assembly in its critical discussions and decisions on global health policies and initiatives. The President may appoint five vice presidents to act in their place during meetings or parts thereof.
The vice presidents, meanwhile, can also be selected by lot at the session where the election takes place.
Member States traditionally elect a President from each of the six WHO regions (Western Pacific, South East Asia, Africa, Americas, Europe, Eastern Mediterranean), rotating every year.
For its 78th session, the President will come from the Western Pacific.