Legarda: 2018 Budget Provides Better Health Services for Filipinos

Senator Loren Legarda today said that the 2018 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which was signed into law by the President yesterday, will provide better healthcare and medical services to all Filipinos.

Total 2018 budget of the Department of Health (DOH), including budgetary support for government corporations, is Php171.09 Billion.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, assured that all Filipinos are covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), which means that even non-members of PhilHealth will automatically be made a member upon availing healthcare service in a public hospital.

"In the 2017 national budget, we augmented the PhilHealth budget to ensure universal healthcare coverage. We have ensured the same under the 2018 budget because it is the duty of government to extend basic healthcare protection to all its citizens," Legarda said.

Moreover, inclusive in the PhilHealth budget of Php60.628 Billion is the Php3.5 Billion allocation for health insurance of government employees under the Executive Department.

Legarda said that she learned about the lack of health insurance for government workers in the Executive when Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi raised the concern during a budget hearing.

"At present, government workers in the Executive are covered by PhilHealth for hospitalization, but when they need to undergo check-up, laboratory procedures, and other preventive healthcare procedures, they pay out of their own pocket. I am glad that Secretary Cusi raised this concern because it is only appropriate that we provide all state workers with the necessary health benefits. In the Legislature, employees have health insurance plans. Now, through the funding for PhilHealth Plus, government employees in the Executive will receive the same benefits," she explained.

Legarda said that to ensure better services for the people, the DOH budget, including the budget of specialty hospitals such as the Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, and Philippine Children's Medical Center, was increased to provide additional funding for medical assistance program for indigent patients, additional medicine for cancer patients and Health Facilities Enhancement Program, among others.

The amount of Php51.591 Billion was allocated for the procurement of drugs, medicines and vaccines, including medical and dental supplies for distribution to government healthcare facilities.

A special provision has been included under the DOH budget prohibiting the purchase of Dengue vaccines.

Additional Php100 Million was also allocated for the National Nutrition Council's (NNC) Early Childhood Care and Development Intervention Package for the First 1,000 Days.

"We have provided additional funding for the NNC's early childhood care and development because the first 1,000 days of a baby's life, which covers the nine months of a mother's pregnancy until a child's second birthday, is the foundation of a person's future health, intellectual development, and motor and social skills. Good nutrition for mothers and babies at pregnancy and infancy stage is therefore crucial to sustain a sturdy foundation for a child's well being," said Legarda.

"The health of our people deserves to be on top of the priorities of government. What is crucial now is to make these healthcare benefits known by the people, especially the poorest households who are the intended beneficiaries," Legarda concluded.