Press Release
March 6, 2010

Aquino to expand coverage of cheaper medicines law, Philhealth benefits

Liberal Party standard bearer Noynoy Aquino vowed to expand the coverage of the cheaper medicines law to benefit more people, especially the poor and the elderly.

"We will do this more vigorously. Medicines covered by the law only account for roughly P2-billion of the estimated P125-billion worth of pharmaceutical purchases in one year," he told a press conference in Dumaguete City on Wednesday.

"What we need is a government that will look out for the welfare of the people and not of big business or pharmaceutical companies," Aquino said.

He also intends to widen the coverage and increase the benefits provided by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth).

Aquino said many of the elderly don't have access to professional health care.

"Sometimes, they don't have health care at all. The Philhealth seems to be embarking on transforming itself into a financial institution, increasing its reserves instead of providing universal health care," he pointed out.

Aquino's sortie in Dumaguete is part of five-day swing by the Liberal Party slate in the Visayas.

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