EDITORIAL - Skewed priorities

If people can’t have wealth in a period of recession, they should at least have health. Quality health care is no problem for the rich, who can even afford to go abroad for more expensive treatment if they are dissatisfied with health services in their own country. For the less privileged, health care may become more difficult next year if the Senate has its way.

A report this week said senators had cut the proposed 2009 budgets for the four biggest state-owned specialty hospitals while appropriating more than P20 billion for their pet projects under their pork barrel. 

The biggest cut was suffered by the Philippine Heart Center, whose P417-million budget that was approved by the House of Representatives was reduced to P236 million. The Kidney Center, or the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, saw its House-approved budget slashed from P315.5 million to P198.5 million. The Philippine Children’s Medical Center suffered a P47.5-million cut, to P251 million, while the Lung Center of the Philippines saw its budget reduced to P161.6 million, down by P2 million from the House version. Meanwhile, senators’ pet projects in their home turfs, such as the Aurora Special Economic Zone Authority and the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, received budget increases. The senators’ pork barrel “insertions” stalled the passage of the 2009 national budget before the Christmas break.

Government hospitals are so cash-strapped that they cannot afford to hire badly needed workers despite a growing glut of nurses and other health professionals. Limited funding prevents the construction and operation of more health centers, resulting in overcrowding in hospitals. Philippine public health care is so limited that poor people stricken with illnesses requiring complicated and expensive treatment such as a heart bypass, chemotherapy or kidney dialysis often simply wait for death to come knocking. 

Those four specialty hospitals try to meet the need, providing treatment for rich and poor alike, but resources for proper public health care are never enough. What those hospitals need is a hefty budget increase, not a reduction to make way for senators’ pet projects.