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Manila Bulletin devider devider Duterte seeks swift passage of universal healthcare bill

Duterte seeks swift passage of universal healthcare bill

Published Oct 3, 2018 02:26 pm
By Genalyn Kabiling President Duterte is seeking the swift passage of the universal healthcare bill to give Filipinos access to affordable and quality health services. The President intends to certify as urgent the universal healthcare bill to facilitate its approval in Congress after contentious issues have been resolved, according to his Spokesman Harry Roque. President Duterte is prepared to respect the ruling of the Supreme Court on a petition questioning the validity of his proclamation that voided the amnesty granted to Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte
(ACE MORANDANTE/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Roque said the universal healthcare bill was tackled in a meeting with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Senator JV Ejercito, chair of the Senate health committee, and Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan, chair of the house committee on health, in Malacañang Wednesday. "Naplantsa na po naming ang pinaka-contentious issue at inaasahan po naming na mase-certify as urgent na itong panukalang batas na ito either today or tomorrow at the latest ," Roque said in an interview with reporters in the Palace. "As soon as the President signs it, I will issue a press statement and I will even exhibit to you the certification of the urgency to be issued by the President," he added. The universal health care bill is among the priority measures endorsed by the President in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July. The House approved the universal healthcare bill on third and final reading in September 2017 but the Senate has yet to pass its version. House Bill No. 5784 mandates that Filipinos must have access to comprehensive health services that will not cause financial hardship. The health services include inpatient, outpatient, and emergency care services encompassing preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative medical, dental, and mental health services. Under the bill, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will be reconstituted into the Philippine Health Security Corporation (PHSC) that becomes the national purchaser of health services. The President, in his SONA, said the government must pool resources for health services, institutionalize primary care as a prerequisite to access higher level of healthcare, and supplement human resource gaps of the LGUs through a National Health Workforce Support System. "These will ensure that every Filipino family gets the appropriate, affordable, and quality health services in appropriate facilities and will be protected from financial burden due to sickness," Duterte said.
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