POE TO GIVE P1B PER PROVINCIAL HOSPITAL, ONE DOCTOR PER TOWN

Under her "Gobyernong may Puso," every town will have one doctor, and every provincial hospital will receive P1 billion for its repair and upgrade, independent presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe declared in the last presidential debate.

Poe, who is pushing for improved public health care and expanded health insurance coverage, said her campaign all over the country has shown her the pitiful state of many hospitals in rural areas, which fail to serve their constituents.

If she wins, she said she will use the government's P140-billion collection from sin taxes to upgrade public health facilities all over the country.

"Sa aking pag-iikot, ang daming mga local governments na nagrereklamo na pinabayaan sila ng gobyerno. Sila ang gumagasta sa kanilang ospital. Sa P140 billion, kung bigyan natin ang bawat isang probinsya para sa kanilang provincial hospital ng P1 billion para mapa-rehabilitate (ang ospital), at least hindi mukhang iyong mga kisame mahuhulog na. Walang tubig, wala man lang bed sheet," Poe said at the third and final presidential debate at the Phinma-University of Pangasinan in Dagupan City.

A man from Northern Samar, who was introduced as Mang Jun, had asked the five presidential hopefuls how they can solve the problem in his town, where there is no doctor, no functional barangay health center and no medicines. Mang Jun's father died due to unavailable health care.

"Ito ang nakakaiyak. Sinasabi nila na importante ang health care pero sa mga ibang ospital, wala man lang tubig. Katulad sa Catbalogan, galing ako doon. Paano mo pagagalingin ang mga pasyente kung hindi mo man lang malinis ang sarili mo?" Poe asked. "Bilang isang babae aalagaan ko iyong ating mga ospital."

The senator said she will also establish a One Town, One Doctor (OTOD) scholarship program under her "Gobyernong may Puso" to address the lack of health personnel in rural areas.

Under this program, there will be one scholarship slot for a student from each of the country's 1,634 cities and municipalities. The scholarship will cover a medicine student's expenses during the four-year course, including tuition, books and allowances.

"Bawat isang town, magkakaroon ng iskolar. Kapag nag-graduate sila, magsisilbi sila ng apat na taon (sa kanilang lugar), tapos magpapalit para hindi magkukulang (ang ating mga doktor)," Poe said.

There are around 66,000 registered physicians in the Philippines but only 2,944 of them are in public health. This means there is only one government doctor for every 34,000 Filipinos.

A 2010 survey by the Social Weather Stations revealed that 25 percent of Filipinos have never consulted a doctor while 16 percent last saw a doctor more than five years ago.

Poe said she will also ensure that all indigents will not have to pay out-of-pocket expenses when they obtain medical care.

"Kapag ako naging pangulo, sisiguraduhin ko na ang mga mahihirap ay zero billing sa mga ospital," she said.