Senator Risa Hontiveros urges Congress to realign part of the proposed P255 billion flood control budget in favor of the public health sector to boost the capacity of government hospitals to accommodate patients.
Hontiveros said augmenting the health funds could help meet the backlog of 90,375 beds in state-run hospitals.
The Department of Health (DOH) has disclosed that only 28,153 beds are currently available in public hospitals across the country, way below the 118,528 beds mandated by law.
“The gap is extremely wide. It would be better to give the funds to the Department of Health to help reduce the hospital bed shortage. The overcrowding must stop,” said Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography.
She said the realignment would prevent patients from competing for limited hospital space and efficient health services.
Hontiveros pointed out that flood control projects should not take precedence over urgent health needs as public hospitals remain under-equipped.
“Even with hospital beds, we need a catch-up plan. It’s about time that Filipino patients stop having to compete for space and care,” she said.
According to Hontiveros, DOH initiatives could benefit from the budget realignment, including the Health Facilities Enhancement Program and the provision of medicines and medical assistance to indigent and financially handicapped patients.
She noted that Malacañang had previously identified these programs as eligible for funding realignment in the 2026 budget.
“Malacañang has already cleared the path. This will not happen if we just let the people’s money be swept away in a flood of corruption while two or more patients are crammed into a single hospital bed,” Hontiveros said.
The senator pledged to collaborate with colleagues in the Senate to ensure the proposed 2026 budget prioritizes health reforms.
“I will make sure our taxes are well spent in exchange for the services that we all deserve,” she added.
