Senator Christopher “Bong” Go advocated for an increased budget for the Department of Health (DOH) during the Committee on Finance hearing held on Thursday, September 28.
Go, who emphasized the need to sufficiently fund the implementation of the Regional Specialty Centers Act, the establishment of more Super Health Centers in strategic locations nationwide, and provision of allowances due to healthcare workers, also called for proactive efforts to address other pressing health threats.
“Always naman po akong full support sa ating health. Kung ano pa pong makakadagdag, makakatulong. At ako po ay nalulungkot nga noong nabalitaan kong nabawasan na naman ang pondo,” said Go.
Go highlighted the importance of investing in the healthcare system, especially towards attaining full pandemic recovery and improved resilience against future health crises.
“Ilang beses ko na rin pong nasabi—now is the time to invest more in improving our healthcare system,” he said.
During the hearing, Go took the opportunity to thank DOH officials and the medical community for their sacrifices during the pandemic, saying, “Narinig ko na naman boses ni Usec. (Maria Rosario) Vergeire, kanina nakikinig ako naalala ko tuloy yung mga first few days ng pandemic. Kung hindi po dahil sa inyong lahat, hindi natin mararating ito.”
The senator also discussed the recently passed Republic Act No. 11959, known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which aims to make specialized medical services available across all regions. He cited the difficulties faced by patients in provinces who have to travel to Manila for specialized treatments.
“Sa totoo lang, marami pong nasa probinsya hindi na umaabot sa Maynila, dahil hindi na po nila kayang magpagamot, magpa-opera, namamatay na lang po doon dahil sa kahirapan po,” he added.
Go expressed his satisfaction that the act was also a priority for President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., saying, “Masaya po ako na priority din ito ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos.”
He however expressed concern over the insufficient budget proposed for the planned specialty centers for 2024, noting that a larger budget is expected for 2025 due to other funding from the Asian Development Bank.
“So pagtulungan natin ito at huwag maantala itong pagtatayo ng ating mga specialty centers,” he urged.
The senator also called attention to a decrease in the proposed funding for existing specialty hospitals like the Lung Center, Heart Center, and National Kidney and Transplant Institute.
“We should look into this and support additional funding for these hospitals,” he said.
He also advocated for continuous funding for Super Health Centers, which he has been pushing for since 2022. These centers aim to complement the PhilHealth Konsulta package and facilitate early detection of diseases.
“Layunin po ng mga centers na ito na mas ilapit pa sa ating mga kababayan ang mga serbisyong medikal ng gobyerno, lalo na sa nasa liblib na lugar at pinaka-nangangailangan,” he said.
“Dapat po walang nasasayang na pondo, dapat po ay pakinabangan po ito ng mga kababayan nating mahihirap,” Go added.
Go also touched upon the importance of adequate facilities, equipment, and human resources, as well as additional funding for programs like Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients and Malasakit Centers.
He also questioned the adequacy of the proposed P19.9 billion funding for unpaid allowances for healthcare workers and urged proper compensation for their sacrifices.
“Mahirap pong maging frontliner sa panahon ng pandemya, hindi po natin mababayaran ng kahit anuman po ang buhay na kanilang sinakripisyo,” he said.
Furthermore, the senator urged DOH to focus on other diseases like cancer, tuberculosis, and mental health disorders. He mentioned that while P500 million was allocated for the Cancer Assistance Fund this year, he proposed to double it to P1 billion for next year.
“Hindi rin natin dapat kalimutan ang sapat na pondo para sa mental health programs,” he said.
In the end, Go endorsed additional funding for DOH, stating, “Mahigit sampung bilyon po ang natapyas sa proposed budget ng DOH kumpara sa taong ito. Maraming programa pa ang dapat ma-budget-an natin at maibalik, kaya umaasa tayo, Madam Chair, na madagdagan ang budget ng DOH.”
“Pagtulungan po natin ito, the more we should invest sa ating health sa panahon ngayon,” he concluded.