2019 a year for women and health - Hontiveros

Despite challenges, 2019 is still a year for women and health.

This was the statement of Akbayan Risa Hontiveros on Friday as the Senate adjourned its Session for the holidays. "Marami man ang naging hamon, mas maraming batas ang napagtagumpayan para sa kababaihan at sa kalusugan," Hontiveros claimed, noting the passage of landmark laws for women's rights and better health services.

In 2019, during the tail-end of the 17th Congress, Hontiveros successfully led the passage of eight (8) new landmark laws. As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Hontiveros ushered the passage of the Expanded Maternity Leave Law or Republic Act No. 11210 which expanded working Filipinas' paid maternity leave from the original 60 days to 105 days.

"It is now the policy of the State to give mothers our due. Mas makakapagpahinga mula sa panganganak, mas maaalagaan si baby", Hontiveros declared. The law, signed by President Duterte in February this year, was an 'historic legislation', she also added. "Mula sa pagiging kulelat sa Southeast Asia sa bilang ng paid maternity leave days, tayo na ngayon ay pumapangalawa, kasunod ng Vietnam", she explained.

In July this year, the Philippines also passed the Bawal Bastos Law or the Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act (Republic Act No. 11313) which penalizes gender-based harassment and abuse in public spaces. "2019 is the year we say goodbye to boy bastos", Hontiveros, who served as the law's principal author and sponsor, declared.

This year also saw the passage of the Universal Healthcare Act or RA 11223, signed by the President in February. The measure institutionalizes universal healthcare coverage for all Filipinos.

"Ang mga Pinoy hindi dapat namumulubi kung may sakit," urged Hontiveros who co-authored and co-sponsored the measure with former Senator JV Ejercito. "The law will primarily close the gaps in the health service delivery in the country. Ngayon, lahat na may PhilHealth, may kayang magpatingin sa doktor, at mas mura ang pagpapagamot", she also added.

Some of the laws authored by Hontiveros that passed this year are the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act (RA 11310), the act on mandatory PhilHealth coverage for persons with disabilities (RA 11228), the Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict Act (RA 11188), the Simulated Birth Rectification Act (RA 11222), and the Speech Language Pathology Act (RA 11249).

During the year, Hontiveros also secured the provision of billions of pesos of public funds to expand government programs on health and other basic services following her interventions in the 2020 General Appropriations Act.

"We're putting our money where our mouth is. Sinigurado nating sapat ang pondo para matugunan ang mga problema sa kalusugan", Hontiveros said, noting that her efforts led to the allotment of P400 million for purchase of anti-retroviral drugs against HIV, P250 million additional funding for anti-tuberculosis treatment programs, and P50 million for polio and pneumonia surveillance programs.

"Inayos din nating may pondo para matulungan ang ating mga magsasaka at mga informal settler families", she added. Her interventions led to at least P3 billion assistance to rice farmers as direct financial assistance, and the provision of up to 18,000 housing units for informal settler families.

For the 18th Congress, the Akbayan Senator filed a total of 48 Senate bills, including the Strengthened Anti-Hospital Detention Bill, and 22 Senate resolutions covering various issues and advocacies, including urging immediate assistance to rice and sugar farmers and the protection of indigenous communities.

"This year was tough, but Filipinos are tougher", Hontiveros said. "We have achieved so much, pero tuloy-tuloy ang trabaho. Sa 2020, dadamihan pa natin ang mga batas na talagang tutulong sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino," she concluded.