ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap on Sunday called on the Senate to support the passage of the Benguet General Hospital Renationalization Bill.
“It is very disappointing and heartbreaking. I went to Benguet General Hospital this morning for a test and our health-care workers were asking me: ‘Cong, paano na? May pag-asa pa ba? Hindi ba nila tayo nakikita?’ Halos madurog ang puso ko sa narinig ko,” Yap said.
“One of the issues being raised is that the health service delivery is a devolved function and that the approval of HBN (House Bill Number) 6849 would add financial burden to the national government instead of the local government carrying the load,” he added
Senator Christopher Go backed the bill, along with other local health measures, but Senator Franklin Drilon raised some issues that caused the bill’s disapproval.
“When we say it is devolved, are we saying that it is cast in stone? That we cannot undo it? That is exactly why we are subjecting it to the legislative process, and it is well within our powers to amend laws, to make things right,” Yap said.
“This bill will not only benefit Benguet, but also our neighbors in the Cordillera. We have been deprived far too long, we do not have local income like other provinces and big cities. We may not see another chance like this again to fix the system,” he noted. Rio N. Araja
“Yung subsidy ng probinsya sa hospital, mas magagamit sana namin sa pagpapagawa ng mga bagong kalsada para mapadali ang biyahe ng mga gulay namin papunta sa trading centers at tataas ang kita ng mga magsasaka. There will be a domino effect. But right now, we are at the mercy of few people,” Yap added.
Deliberations on the bill would resume on Tuesday in the Senate.
Yap added: “Senator Drilon, I would like to invite you here in Benguet. You are welcome to see what I am talking about. Leave the comforts of your home and help us. If you can’t find any reason in your books to support this bill, I pray that God will help you find a reason in your conscience and in your heart to make take this humanitarian step.”
“We can’t watch another health worker leave because of low morale. We can’t see another person dying because we don’t have sufficient equipment. We can’t afford to refuse patients who traveled far because we don’t have hospital beds available,” he appealed to the senator.
Go, chairperson of the Senate committee on health, is expected to sponsor House Bill No. 6849 again next week.
“We thank our Senator Bong Go for his malasakit and perseverance in sponsoring our measure. We will rally behind you. We thank you for going out of your way to check on our situation in the ground,” Yap said.