Trillanes seeks to re-nationalize PH healthcare system

More than 20 years since the devolution of the country's healthcare system to local government units was implemented, Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV files Senate Bill No. 2577 to revert to the national government, through the Department of Health, the operation and management of all hospitals currently under the supervision of LGUs.

Trillanes said "One of the changes introduced by the Local Government Code was the devolution of the healthcare system, based on the assumption that local government executives would know where the need for such services is necessary and would be able to prioritize such needs. After several years of implementation, it was found out, however, that the quality of health services has slowly decayed in most areas of the country."

Among the reasons Trillanes cited for this include the low priority given by LGUs to health concerns, corruption in the procurement of medicines, and denial of benefits of health workers, which are primarily due to the inability of LGUs to bear the financial costs of maintaining and operating hospitals and providing salaries and benefits, according to Trillanes.

Under SBN 2577, health services and facilities devolved to the local government units (LGUs) will be re-nationalized or returned to the operation and management of the national government, which, in effect, would repeal certain provision of the Local Government Code. Upon implementation of this proposal, re-nationalized hospitals and Rural Health Units/Centers will be authorized to use the income they derived from their operation to improve and upgrade the services they provide, as long as the supporting financial and work plans are first approved by the Department of Health.

"Through this measure, we hope that LGUs would be freed from financial burden, while we upgrade and standardize healthcare throughout the country," Trillanes further explained.