Today, the House of Representatives will deliberate on the budget of the Department of Health.
Health Workers PartyList is deeply concerned that amidst the health crisis, the government is only allotting a health budget of P303.71 billion, which is only 4.78% of the P6.532 trillion national budget and comprises 1.04-1.06% only of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), far from the World Health Organization-recommended 5% of GDP or P1.44 – 1.46 trillion.
The budget allotment for the Department of Health Office of the Secretary where public health programs and subsidies for public hospitals and facilities are included, will be cut by 10%, from P241 billion to P217 billion. We are particularly bothered that budget for the prevention and control for communicable diseases and epidemiology and surveillance program will be reduced by 18% and 34% respectively. We believe that funding for these programs should be increased, especially with the DOH reports that there was 80% increase in new tuberculosis cases in 2022-2023, and cases of monkey pox have been detected in the country.
Years of government neglect and inadequate health budget allotment are exacting their toll on the heath and lives of our people and drive our fellow health workers out of the country.
We witness the daily hardships of our poor patients and experience for ourselves the expensive and inadequate health services. Despite our very best intentions and efforts to provide the quality care and save the lives of as many patients as we can, we are constrained by the lack of supplies, medicines and equipment and health personnel. Overworked and underpaid, many of us decide to work abroad instead.
Health Workers Party List calls for adequate funding of public health services and health workers’ salaries and benefits. We recommend that the government seriously heed the recommendation of WHO of at least 5% of GDP for public health services. We will push for state-funded, free quality health services.
We call that budget for public hospitals and facilities be increased, public health programs be substantially funded, plantilla positions be filled up and new regular positions be created, budget for magna carta benefits be funded and provided up to the devolved facilities, and national minimum salary be increased to P33,000/month.
Health Workers Party List enjoins our fellow health workers to stand up and work with the Filipino people we serve. Let us assert our rights to have a genuine voice of health workers and health advocates in Congress. Tuloy ang laban para sa kalusugan at karapatan ng mamamayan at health workers! (HEALTH WORKERS PARTYLIST | FACEBOOK)
