3RD READING MANIFESTATION
"DOKTOR PARA SA BAYAN ACT"

It is not coincidence in view of the current pandemic that the measure we just approved on third and final reading today includes Senate President Sotto's Senate Bill No. 1.

We thank all our collegaues, we thank all of your overwhelming support to the "Doktor Para sa Bayan Act", most especially Senate President Tito Sotto. Thank you sir, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, our majority floor leader Migz Zuburi, our minority floor leader, Senator Drilon; all our colleagues for introducing amendment and for co-sponsoring this measure , may I just acknowledge them - Sen.Sonny Angara, vice -chair Wyn Gatchalian, Sen. Nancy Binay, Sen.Dick Gordon, Sen. Grace Poe, Pia Cayetano, Sen. Bato Dela Rosa, Sen. Lito Lapid, Sen. Ping Lacson, Sen.Tol Tolentino, Sen.Bong Revilla, Villar, Sen. Bong Go; from the minority Senators Pangilinan and Hontiveros.

We are at war and the doctors are the combatants. Just as we train soldiers in peace time, so must we train more in times of war. So, let it be now, with doctors and physicians.

Unfortunately, we only have 9 public medical schools in the country while medical education remains the most expensive course in the Philippines. Ngayon po, kahit sinong Pilipino, anuman ang antas sa buhay, kaya nang tuparin ang pangarap na maging doktor.

Infact, kasama sa ating ipinasang batas ang pagtatayo, pagtutulungan ng DOH at CHED,na magtayo ng marmai pang medical schools na mag-ooffer ng pagdodoktor

Many of our medical graduates leave the country to practice medicine abroad. Some have even opted to go back to school to become certified nurses just to get out of the country to work elsewhere. As a lamentable and evident result, we suffer the horrendous scarcity of medical doctors, serving, specially our underprivileged countrymen. Our present doctor to population ratio is at 3 is to 10,000. The World Health Organization recommended a ratio of 10 is to 10,000.

With the passage of SB 1520 or "Doktor Para sa Bayan Act" Bill, there is hope now that our situation can change. We will give free medical education to poor and deserving students in all our regions but we will also require them to render a return service, fitting and proper to the Filipino people, from medical doctors who were educated from the government's coffers.

Ginoong Pangulo, kapag nakapagtapos po ang isang anak at nagkaroon ng trabaho, inaasahang siya naman ang magtutustos sa kanyang mga magulang. Ganun din po ang intensyon ng panukalang ito. Pag-aaralin ka ng medisina ng estado pero inaasahang magsisilbi ka rin sa bayan.

This bill, Mr. President ,will be a legacy of this Senate. And I'm sure that the generations of Filipinos that will come after us will be thankful for the passage of this measure which also is a proof that amid the pandemic, the priority of the People's Senate is our people's health.