Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, expressed in an interview on Tuesday, August 15, after assisting indigents in Tanay, Rizal, his concern over the proposed P10 billion budget cut for the Department of Health (DOH) in the 2024 national budget.
Go emphasized the importance of prioritizing the budget towards pandemic recovery and being prepared for any possible future health crisis, highlighting that the healthcare system needs to be robust and ready to handle not only the ongoing pandemic but also any possible health emergencies.
“Isa sa nabawasan ang DOH. For this year’s national budget, the total budget we approved sa 2023 is P316B. Ang pinadala po nila sa Kongreso (for 2024) is P306B. For whatever reason nabawasan po ng P10B ang budget ng DOH for next year,” Go said referring to the National Expenditure Program for 2024 currently being deliberated in the Lower House.
He stressed the need to continuously invest in the healthcare system, and recalled a previous instance where he opposed a budget cut to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
“Bago pa magpandemya, hindi ako pumayag na binawasan ang budget ng RITM. Pinadagdagan natin, ni-restore natin ang budget nila at dinagdagan pa natin. Kutob ko lang ‘yun, wala pang pandemya nu’n. Wala pang COVID-19. Bakit mo babawasan ang RITM? ‘Yun pala, tama ang kutob ko, ‘yung opisinang ‘yun ang napakalaki ang papel nung kasagsagan ng pandemya dahil doon nag-conduct ng test para sa COVID-19,” recalled Go.
Meanwhile, Go also highlighted the importance of the Cancer Assistance Fund, stating, “Nagdagdag tayo ng P1B noong 2023, ‘yung sa Cancer Assistance Fund for cancer treatment facilities… ito po ‘yung mga ginagamit sa cancer patients natin sa treatment assistance nila. Pursuant to Republic Act No. 11215.”
The Cancer Assistance Fund will also receive a P1 billion funding under the proposed 2024 national budget.
“Napakaimportante po ng ating health department. Napakaimportante po na pagtuunan po natin ng pansin ang ating healthcare system. The more we should improve, the more we should add budget sa ating health department,” said Go.
“Ako po bilang Committee Chair on Health, gusto kong padamihin ang mga hospital, mga Super Health Center, at iba pang pasilidad tulad ng Regional Specialty Centers dahil hindi natin alam kung ito na ba ‘yung huling pandemya na darating sa buhay natin. Mas mabuting mas handa tayo,” he stressed.
Moreover, echoing President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s priority of bringing specialized medical services closer to other parts of the country, Go has successfully sponsored in the Senate the Regional Specialty Centers bill which he also filed as one of its authors.