BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Former Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said there is no need to pass a law on Reproductive Health (RH) as the provisions for its proposed bill are already provided for in the Magna Carta of Women. “We don’t need to legislate RH. The local government’s participation is already provided for in the Magna Carta of Women,” he said.
“We put in Magna Carta the need of women and family, not only pregnant mothers, for medical purposes of government,” said Zubiri, who was in Bacolod Saturday. Some mayors already have an RH program so there is no need to “nationalize” it, he said while expressing doubts that the proposed RH Bill would be approved on August 7.
On the planned Charter Change (Cha-cha), the former senator thought that it is plausible for now because such would become suspect to ill motives considering that the 2013 elections is coming. He is however more in favor of “charter amendments” particularly on economic and political provisions, but these should be done after the 2013 elections so as not to be taken advantage of by politicians.
For the political provisions, Zubiri suggested that all regions be allowed to have two senators each, since under the present set-up, there is a disparity of senators in the Visayas and Mindanao. There are now 19 senators from Luzon, only five for both Visayas and Mindanao, and none for Regions 9, 12 and ARMM, he said.
“The consideration is ‘timing.’ Amendments should not be done now, because elections is nearing, it might be misinterpreted,” he said, adding that is should be done during the term of President Aquino who enjoys the confidence of the Filipinos who believe he will not abuse his power.
On the Hospital Corporatization Bill, authored by Bacolod Rep. Anthony Golez, Zubiri criticized it. “I do not believe in the idea that government (hospitals) cannot be run properly. We are exposing ourselves if we say that these cannot be run like a corporation,” he said.
Zubiri said he will march in the streets to show his protests against House Bill 6069, seeking to boost the financial health of public hospitals. “I will never agree to that. The poor people will suffer once public hospitals are corporatized,” he said, describing it as having the same purpose as privatizing.
Zubiri said public hospitals in Singapore and Hong Kong and other progressive countries are better run than private hospitals, so why can’t we do the same here? “Let us have faith in government service. ... But it also depends on our leaders and their priorities,” he said.
One solution to better heath care is Universal Health Care System, which he earlier proposed, citing that in Bukidnon, the provincial government built three 150-bed hospitals for northern, central, and southern parts, and all 2,000 PhilHealth members enjoy free hospitalization there. These hospitals have complete facilities, he said.
Public hospitals should be subsidized in full so they can cater to “C-D-E” patients under a socialized medical system, said Zubiri.
On the 2013 polls, Zubiri said the United Nationalist Alliance has not completed yet its senatorial lineup with only eight named so far: Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay, Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile, San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito, Joey de Venecia, Senators Loren Legarda and former Senator Richard Gordon and himself.
Other possible UNA senatorial bet is Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia, who took her oath as member of Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) of Vice President Jejomar Binay last May.
UNA is a merger of PDP-Laban of Binay and the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) of former President Joseph Estrada. Zubiri’s statement declaring UNA candidates as “alternative candidates” was in reaction to the proposed “super coalition” that was “ridiculed” by Malacañang. (FREEMAN)