Guingona: Gov’t can’t abdicate public services

Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. has warned that government cannot give up its duty of providing health services to the public.

"We cannot abdicate, we cannot ignore this responsibility," he told the Philippine Hospital Association’s 5th annual convention at the Manila Hotel over the weekend.

"We must find a balance between modernization and public interest and welfare," he said.

On the other hand, Senate President Franklin Drilon said the Senate will take a closer look at the decreasing budget of the Department of Health because the deteriorating services and equipment of government hospitals have adversely affected public health.

"We should look into ways in which to augment the funds of provincial and district hospitals, as well as municipal health clinics," he said.

"In this period of continuing economic hardships among the masses of our people, government must give priority to public health services."

Drilon said the government must also pay commensurate salaries and allowances to doctors and nurses so they would remain in hospitals here.

"Otherwise while we educate many doctors and nurses, most of them go to foreign lands to treat foreigners while neglecting their own people who financed their education in the first place," he said.

"Because of the rising cost of hospitalization, many Filipinos can no longer afford to undergo private hospitalization, and have to depend on public hospitals and services for their medical needs," the Senate president said.

Guingona said health officials must recognize the fact that public health service is the responsibility of the government.

"We still have a long way to go in providing efficient and adequate health services to the Filipino," he said.

"We search for implementable policies which will indeed increase the wealth of the nation through health."

Guingona asked the private sector to help the government provide the public basic health services.

"I believe that private hospitals can do their share–without losing viability," he said. "In a poor nation such as ours, a little contribution will go a long way. In a poor nation such as ours, the need for this little contribution from you is more essential, more crucial."

Guingona said the government must create the environment for efficient and humane health providers.

"We look forward to the time when no patient dies because they were turned away by the hospital due to doubts in capacity to pay," he said.

"We seek health-financing system where health services are available even to the remotest barangay in the rural areas. Our goal is to equip barangay health workers with facilities and medicines to deliver basic health care where there is no hospital in the area."

Guingona also reiterated his call for the government to join forces with private investors in manufacturing low-priced medicines. –Sammy Santos