DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte will meet with the leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Sultan Kudarat today to discuss the conflict in Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Basic Law, his camp said Friday.
Duterte, a presidential candidate, is pushing for a federal form of government, saying it is the only solution to the unrest in Mindanao.
“Nothing but federalism will appease the Muslims in Mindanao but federalism only,” Duterte said earlier, although he expressed his opposition to the BBL.
At 2 p.m. today Duterte, along with his running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, will proceed to a campaign rally at the Cotabato City Plaza on Rufino and Sinsuat.
At 6 p.m. he will attend a Mindanao women’s forum at the Garden Oases in Barrio Obrero in Davao City.
Meanwhile, the Duterte-Cayetano camp slammed the Aquino administration “for telling the people that they have 100 percent [PhilHealth] coverage and for advertising its zero billing health services when this is simply not true.”
Cayetano said the government must not mislead the people.
“You have been giving the people false hope, this is what the Department of Health and Philippine Health Insurance have been doing in the last few administrations. It’s time for real change,” he said.
“What good is PhilHealth if there is no available hospital or if the hospital available does not have the facilities or equipment
needed by the patient?
The Duterte-Cayetano tandem has vowed to ensure an orderly health-care system that could accommodate all Filipinos, particularly those from the marginalized sector.
Citing a 2013 report by the Philippine Society for General Internal Medicine, Cayetano said six out of 10 Filipinos die without seeing a doctor.
“This is simply unacceptable. There is so much chaos as the people are too burdened. Even the [government’s] health-care service cannot
be depended on,” he said.
“A healthy Filipino is a productive Filipino. Not a single Filipino must be deprived of medical assistance and health-care services.”
Cayetano said the lack of a health-care system in the provinces adds to the suffering of ordinary people.
If elected, Duterte and Cayetano vowed to ensure full PhilHealth coverage and full implementation of PhilHealth’s “zero billing” services to members.
They said they will put regional safety hospitals in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Meanwhile, Duterte became emotional when he visited Danao City in Cebu over the weekend.
“I was close to tears while still aboard the helicopter,” he said.
The Davao City mayor’s father, the late governor Vicente Durano, once served as Danao City mayor before the family migrated to Mindanao.
