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Thursday, March 28, 2024

JV confident Duterte will sign UHC measure into law

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Senator JV Ejercito on Monday said he is very optimistic that President Rodrigo Duterte will sign into law the Universal Health Care measure which was ratified by the Senate Monday afternoon. 

“Today, Dec. 10, 2018, we senators ratified the Universal Health Care [UHC] measure. We are just waiting for the signature of President Duterte. This is very, very near,” he said.

As the author and sponsor of the measure, Ejercito said he considers this development as a victory for all Filipinos and a sound accomplishment that truly reflects his “ginhawa ng bayan” commitment to uplift the condition of the people.

Ejercito said that once the UHC is enacted into law, it would be much easier for Filipinos to have their medical checkup, laboratory or hospitalization, 

He said no Filipino will be left out because under the UHC, all Filipinos are covered under the national health insurance program.

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“Bata, matanda, babae, lalaki, miyembro ng LGBT community, PWD, kahit sino basta Pilipino, sa ilalim ng UHC, alalay ang gobyerno sa gastos kapag sila ay nagkasakit,” he added.

 Ejercito thanked all those who were with them in pushing for the UHC like Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, congressman, Health Secretary Francisco Duque and the entire  Department of Health and its attached agencies.

“Of course, I would like to thank the President who certified this measure as urgent and really openly supported us all the way.

Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe called on her colleagues to support moves to increase the budget of the First 1,000 Days in its maiden year of implementation next year as an institutionalized health care initiative for mothers and children.

Now that the measure has been signed into law—listed as Republic Act 11148 or the Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act—Poe said adequate funding support is needed in addressing malnutrition among mothers and their newborn children in the first 1,000 days.

“Just like an infant, the future of this new law—whether or not it fulfills its mandate—lies in the first 1,000 days of its implementation.,” she said

She said that without sufficient funding the law cannot fulfill the program’s objectives of scaling down undernutrition and improving the health of mothers and infants,” said Poe, co-author and co-sponsor of the measure in the Senate.

Poe likewise thanked the President for his approval and for “recognizing the importance of this law.”

The legislation provides nutritional supplement to women and infants which includes vaccination, deworming, vitamin A drops, iron and food supplement, among others to improve nutrition and prevent and manage malnutrition.

Poe estimates that in its first year of implementation next year, at least P6 billion is needed to fulfill the mandates of the program. 

The National Nutrition Council’s (NNC) fund for raising awareness of the programs had suffered fund reduction in the 2019 budget which is pegged at P118 million from P300 million this year.

Poe made the call as she lamented the huge budget cuts in the DOH budget, which she said might result in job losses and could have serious effect in delivering vital health services. 

The DOH budget will be slashed by P35 billion to P74.1 billion in 2019 from P109.8 billion in this year’s budget.

Poe is expected to introduce amendments in the budget of the DOH, specifically on the First 1,000 Days program when the Senate tackles the agency’s spending plan.

The DOH, National Nutrition Council and the Department of Agriculture in coordination with other state agencies and local government units, are mandated to develop a comprehensive strategy for the first 1,000 days of life. 

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