Zubiri tells Pimentel to show accomplishments

CEBU, Philippines - Former senator Juan Miguel Zubiri will lead the inauguration of the P30 million Pediatric Building at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City tomorrow.

The fund for the said project was from Zubiri’s Priority Development Assistance Fund before he resigned from office in 2011 giving way to Senator Aquilino Pimentel III who filed an election protest against Zubiri.

Zubiri is now challenging Pimentel to show his accomplishments as a senator before he opens his mouth and criticize his program on Universal Health Care.

Pimentel earlier said that Zubiri’s promise of a “free-for-all” health care advertisement may be considered another form of cheating.

Zubiri said that the “No Balance Billing Program” under the Provincial Indigency Health Program of the Province of Bukidnon has been implemented for more than ten years.

“If only the senator is courageous enough to visit our province and ask the people who had benefited from the program, he will understand how it is being implemented. The problem with Senator Pimentel is, he is afraid to visit Bukidnon,” Zubiri said.

Zubiri said the program has been proven effective in Bukidnon with 189,000 families presently enrolled.

There are 19 municipal primary health centers providing primary health care, and three tertiary hospitals with bed capacity of 150 to 200 each located in Manolo Fortich, Malaybalay City and Maramag.

Zubiri claimed that the province was the first to implement the said program.

“I am not playing cute when I tell this in our sorties. I am just telling the people of what we have accomplished and that it is not impossible to be replicated all over the country. Is that playing cute?” he said.

Zubiri questioned what Pimentel has done being a senator and the chairman of the Senate Electoral Reforms Committee.

“What have you accomplished? What bills have you sponsored in the senate plenary? Isn’t that what you should be reporting to the people?” Zubiri said.

Zubiri said that Pimentel questioned a good program that has already been proven effective in Bukidnon, even in Makati City.

Zubiri said he is willing to sponsor a bill for the program so that Congress can deliberate if it can be implemented throughout the country.

“Let Congress decide its merits. Don’t just shoot down an idea out of the box if this will benefit millions of our kababayans,” added Zubiri. —/MBG (FREEMAN)