“Bawat araw ng delay ay maraming Pilipino ang naghihirap, nalulubog sa utang, o namamatay dahil sa kakulangan ng serbisyong pangkalusugan.”
This was the strong statement from Cong. Manoy Wilbert “Wise” Lee as he held the Department of Health (DOH) and PhilHealth accountable for their commitments to improve healthcare access for Filipinos. Lee criticized the agencies for failing to meet deadlines and implement promised reforms under the Universal Healthcare (UHC) Law.
Lee pointed out the DOH’s delay in submitting a comprehensive plan to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare costs, a promise Health Secretary Ted Herbosa made during budget deliberations. “If the Secretary cannot fulfill these commitments, he should step down. Public service is about delivering results, not empty promises,” Lee said.
In addition to his criticism, Lee highlighted the looming deadlines for other commitments, such as 50% PhilHealth benefit increases, 80% coverage for cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and procedures for heart diseases, and expanded diagnostic services by year-end. He reminded the agencies that billions of pesos allocated for healthcare must be used efficiently to provide life-saving benefits to Filipinos.
The Bicolano lawmaker’s advocacy for better healthcare services has yielded results, including significant increases in PhilHealth coverage for hemodialysis and breast cancer treatment and full coverage for dialysis.
“This fight is for every Filipino family who dreams of a day when healthcare is a right, not a privilege,” Lee declared.
#UniversalHealthCare #HealthIsARight #WiseLeadership
