MAKATI Mayor and senatorial candidate Abigail Binay said the government has available funds to improve healthcare, but the monies have not been properly utilized.
“A closer look would there is money. But the problem is, these funds were not properly used,” Binay said in an interview.
Binay, who is running for the Senate under the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas ticket, cited as examples the budget for the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and the sin tax revenues “that have remained underutilized, along with continuing appropriations that are funded annually but are still unspent. “
“These are the things we need to scrutinize in the Senate. Our resources may be limited, but the funds are there. We only need to determine how best to use them to provide better services to the people, including better health care,” she said.
Binay also reiterated her proposal to redirect part of the funds for financial assistance under subsidy programs such as the Assistance to or Individuals in Crisis Situations and the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program for the provision of free maintenance medicines to beneficiaries, instead of plain cash.
“At least we know where the aid goes. The people need medicines more than money,” she noted.
Binay also called for legislative reforms to streamline the Public Private Partnership (PPP) approval process as she cited the success of Makati’s PPP projects, particularly in healthcare.
She said that the PPP Center should serve as a repository rather than a gatekeeper to encourage more local government units, especially those with limited resources, to pursue PPP initiatives without having to contend with unnecessary bureaucratic delays.
“If Makati can do it, other local government units can do the same, provided there is a right mechanism and support,” she said.