PRESIDENTIAL candidate Jejomar Binay on Tuesday vowed to spend at least five percent of the country’s gross domestic product on health care services to help the poor who don’t have the money to spend for those.
He said he wanted to achieve universal health care coverage in the country by implementing nationwide Makati’s Yellow Card program as an expansion of the PhilHealth program.
“I believe that no one should die of sickness due to poverty,” Binay said.
“We will establish a comprehensive health care system anchored on primary care, which is promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative and provides free medical services to indigents and senior citizens.”
Binay said he will implement nationwide Makati’s Yellow Card program that was recognized by the United Nations-Habitat as one of the world’s best.
The Yellow Card program provides free maternal, child and elderly care, free outpatient consultations and medicines and government-subsidized hospitalization on top of PhilHealth benefits.
“Isang layunin ng Yellow Card program ay mabawasan ang mga out-of-pocket expenses ng mga mahihirap,” Binay said.
Data from the National Statistical Coordination Board shows that the Filipino households still carry most of the spending burden for health care despite the total spending for health care increasing by 11.7 percent year on year to P526.3 billion in 2013.
Private out-of-pocket spending accounted for 56.3 percent of the total or some P296.5 billion. Meanwhile, each Filipino spent P5,360 for health-related expenses in 2013—a 9.8-percent increase from P4,881 per capita expenditure recorded in 2012.
Binay also said he would spend at least 5 percent of the country’s GDP for health care services in line with the World Health Organization’s recommendations.
He said he will address the 3.5 doctors per 1,000 population ratio to the ideal 1.5 doctors for every 1,000 population by increasing the benefits for health workers, nurses, midwives and their families aside from implementing the Doctors to the Barrios program.
Binay said he will also establish and rehabilitate hospitals, clinics and evacuation centers and put up health centers in every village.