Gov’t to prioritize improvement of public hospitals

MANILA, Philippines - After the grueling battle to get the Reproductive Health and Sin Tax laws passed in Congress, President Aquino yesterday declared the improvement of public hospitals would be a top priority during his remaining years in office.

“We won’t stop until there are no more Filipinos who die without seeing a medical professional. So in my term, our target is to upgrade and modernize all the 7,325 hospitals, clinics and other health facilities,” Aquino said during yesterday’s 115th founding anniversary of the Department of Health (DOH).

Aquino said that under his watch, the budget of the DOH swelled from P28.68 billion in 2010 to P51.07 billion this year.   

“We were able to increase by 78 percent the DOH’s budget without raising taxes…from 57.2 million when we assumed office, the number of Filipinos enrolled in PhilHealth rose to 79.1 million,” Aquino said, referring to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

Aquino also reported PhilHealth has launched the 23-case rate package and the Expanded Z-Benefit package early this year, where treatment of diseases like breast cancer, prostrate cancer and acute leukemia would be fully subsidized.

“We are also fast-tracking our Health Facilities Enhancement Program wherein 4,518 hospitals, rural health units and barangay health stations were constructed during the past three years,” Aquino said.         

He said there are “initiatives to make sure that every Filipino will be given equal opportunity to fight hunger and poverty through our Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.”

Health Secretary Enrique Ona thanked the President for his support for the various undertakings of the DOH.

“The high premium this administration is paying for human development – health and social services –is something that is unmatched in DOH history,” he said.

Ona cited what he described as “unprecedented increases in budget” that the President has allocated for the health sector.

“Equally important is the unwavering political support from both the executive and legislative, in laying the policy and legislative environment that helps us carry out our mandate,” he said.

Ona added the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Reform Act, Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act and the recent signing of the National Health Insurance Act of 2013 are testaments to the administration’s resolve in instituting long-needed health reforms.