Universal Health Care bill awaits Duterte’s signature

MANILA, Philippines — The Universal Health Care (UHC) bill will give Filipinos a better chance of survival from life-threatening diseases as the measure provides for free medical checkup and other preventive health services once enacted into law, its authors at the Senate said yesterday.

The UHC bill, principally authored by Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, is now on President Duterte’s desk awaiting his signature after the Senate and the House of Representatives ratified the measure.

Under the measure, all Filipinos shall be automatically given coverage by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and will be entitled to preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services.

Ejercito said the bill has also mandated funding for the upgrading of government hospitals and other health facilities all over the country as well as the hiring of more medical personnel.

“Under the UHC program, each Filipino will no longer have to worry when they get sick as the bill will improve and strengthen the delivery of health services especially to the Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas or GIDAs,” Ejercito said.

He added that the measure will ensure that more doctors and health practitioners will reach GIDAs.

Sen. Sonny Angara, one of the main proponents of UHC, said the preventive services envisioned in the bill are intended to help people remain healthy and detect any health-related problems early when they may be easier to treat.

“We’ll soon have free checkups and medicines. We won’t have to reach the point where we have to take maintenance medicines,” Angara said.

Giving Filipinos access to preventive health services will reduce hospitalization and improve the health of those with non-communicable or lifestyle diseases long before their conditions become catastrophic, according to the senator.

The UHC bill, Angara added, would encourage more Filipinos, especially those living in far-flung villages, to get regular medical checkup.

Angara lamented that many Filipinos, particularly those living in geographically isolated area, are unable to see a doctor in their lifetime.

Since they are used to not having a doctor in their community, seeking medical help is usually put off until their condition gets worse and treatment comes too late, he added.

Roxas backs UHC bill passage

Opposition senatorial candidate Mar Roxas yesterday backed the passage of the UHC bill into law to lessen the financial burden of medical goods and services to ordinary workers and indigent Filipinos.

The Liberal Party candidate said that when health problems come up, the family is drained financially.

“I will work hard to pass the (UHC) bill into law. All Filipinos should be automatically 100-percent PhilHealth registered,” Roxas said.

“For me, it’s important that we are secure that whatever happens, for example, somebody from the family will get sick, or get involve in accident, or any health problems that may come our way, there will be in charge of our treatment and hospitalization,” he said.

The bicameral conference committee approved last November the UHC bill seeking to guarantee all Filipinos equal access to quality and affordable health goods and services.

A total of P257 billion will be needed in the first year of implementation of the act and P280 billion in the second year. This will be funded under the appropriation from the Department of Health and PhilHealth.– With Helen Flores