DOH’s Garin scolds health exec for inviting VP Binay

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The supposedly apolitical gathering of the Philippine Public Health Association for its 83rd Annual National Convention at Sarabia Manor Hotel, in this city, from July 22 to 23, got embroiled with controversy.

Maria Luisa Orezca, PPHA president, told The FREEMAN that Health Secretary Janette Garin allegedly reprimanded her for inviting Vice President Jejomar Binay to speak in the second and final leg of the PPHA convention.

Orezca said Garin voiced her disappointment on PPHA, which the latter said put Iloilo and the DOH in a bad light by having Binay in Iloilo City, a known bailiwick of Senate President Franklin Drilon and Secretary Mar Roxas, both leaders of the Liberal Party.

Garin allegedly pointed out that the DOH spent for the convention, as she questioned PPHA’s move in inviting Binay to the convention, which was attended by at least 600 delegates from local government units and national public health agencies.

Orezca however said the PPHA is an apolitical organization, thus it has no bias to any politician. She said it also invited Roxas himself, former senator Panfilo Lacson, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Representative Sherwin Gatchalian of Valenzuela City and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

However, Roxas declined while Garin, who was also invited, sent Undersecretary Nemesio Gako to represent her. The PPHA did not invite President Benigno Aquino “because of his tight schedule,” and asked Binay instead “out of respect for the country’s highest official,” said Orezca.

Orezca also said the delegates were sent and funded by the LGUs or their agencies, not just the DOH. The convention of PPHA, an organization of public health workers such as nurses and doctors in rural and municipal health offices and public hospitals, was authorized by the DOH and the DILG to promote the welfare and development of public health workers.

When asked about the controversy, Binay said he heard of the report, but would not comment, saying: “Huwag na. That’s between them.”

Binay  hits  Aquino

Binay, during his speech at the PPHA convention, hit anew the Aquino administration for its alleged insensitivity and ineptness, saying he could not stand the injustice suffered by the poor, as the government “is spending less on health care,” but “concentrating on conditional cash transfer.”

The Aquino administration has been a tightwad for health services, said Binay lambasting the government for “cutting the budget of the Lung Center, the Kidney Center and the Heart Center by P970.6 million.”

The money was used to bribe politicians so the ruling Liberal Party could get rid of its political enemies, said Binay, as he also cited the junket tour of 35 high-ranking officials to The Hague hearing on China row, when only three made the oral arguments there.

For five years, Binay said the administration bragged about the growing economy. “Unfortunately, the poor barely felt that growth. Our GDP might have posted growth every year but many even became poorer now that they were five years before,” he said.

“Growth has been exclusively for the ruling class and their allies,” and the Aquino administration has not fully addressed the needs of the health sector and the public health system, said the vice president.

Binay said a third of the annual increases of the DOH budget has gone to PhilHealth, which is now mired in scam, involving eye clinics and doctors who milked the agency with P500 million a year,

Binay also told PPHA that, at present, only 17 hospital beds and three public health workers are available for every 10,000 Filipinos, but the government has also allocated P4.3 billion to hire 398 doctors, 13,500 nurses, 2,700 midwives, and 480 dentists this year.

He said billions have been alloted this year by the Aquino administration for the construction and upgrade of barangay health stations, rural and city health centers, hospitals and rehabilitation centers, and more billions for the procurement of hospital equipment. However, even if these funds will be added up, the budget allocated for the PhilHealth is still four times higher, he added.

At present, Binay said there is more infrastructure or health facilities provided to one area over other areas, without logical basis such as poverty incidence. Poorer LGUs are unable to sufficiently deliver health services to their constituents since they lack manpower and services due to limited finances, he added. “As a result the poor, marginalized, and disadvantaged members of our society are unable to access health care,” he said.

Binay went out that money is not a problem if the government wanted to give good health services. “Ang kailangan ay isang gobyernong nakakaintindi ng totoong daing ng sambayanan,” he said.

“Join me in my crusade for a quality and caring health care system na magbibigay ng maginhawang buhay sa bawat Pilipino,” he told the PPHA delegates.