GIS-BASED SITE SUITABILITY ANALYSIS FOR HEALTHCARE FACILITY DEVELOPMENT IN TACLOBAN CITY, PHILIPPINES

The suboptimal distribution of healthcare facilities in the Philippines causes issues of inequity in access and sufficiency. Even within Metro Manila, this concentric distribution is evident, wherein most of the facilities are located within the central business districts. Within Tacloban City, the same concentric pattern can be observed, with six of the seven total healthcare facilities located within the south and situated close to the urban core. This study had focused on the spatial distribution of the different healthcare facilities to identify the most vulnerable communities. By utilizing GIS and the Modified Huff Three-Step Floating Catchment Area (MH3 SFCA) model, the spatial accessibility of each community had been quantified Site Suitability maps were then generated using different criteria, considering spatial accessibility index (SPAT), designated institutional land, and designated non-producing agricultural land as suitable areas for future healthcare facility development. These criteria were considered by the local government policies on land which may be used for the development of healthcare facilities. The results of the study had determined that the city experiences issues in spatial accessibility, specifically in terms of medical access and sufficiency. Through the addition of a northern test facility, as determined through the site suitability map, it had shown significant improvement in the overall probability of interaction, supply-demand ratio, and SPAI of each community The implementation of GIS-MCDA and the MH3SFCA model has shown significant potential for creating a framework for healthcare development that is sustainable and efficient in terms of medical provision and accessibility.