The Department of Health had announced December last year that the poor, unemployed, and elderly Filipinos should have free medicine and hospitalizations. Since they are deprived of the right to obtain proper care and free medical treatment whenever they get sick, the government was successful in deciding this.
Consequently, in a proposal to uphold optimum health and well-being for every Filipino, Tarlac 2nd District Rep. Victor Yap has filed a bill seeking to provide free medicines for marginalized members of the society.
House Bill 5808, also known as the “Free Basic Medicine Assistance Act” seeks to establish a Free Basic Medicine Assistance Program. This is in all government district hospitals, local health units, and barangay health centers in all cities and municipalities nationwide.
Furthermore, the program will provide free medicines to needy members of the society particularly; the poor, malnourished, elderly, women, children and persons with disabilities.
President Rodrigo Duterte once said to Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial, “Just take care of the poor, I’ll take care where to find money.”
The Duterte administration keeps his campaign promise and prioritizes the welfare of needy Filipinos. He finalized the allocated billions for the Health Department and PhilHealth; this is to make sure every Filipino have universal healthcare which are free medicine and hospitalization.
Secretary Ubial made the announcement during a visit to the Integrated Provincial Hospital Office in Maguindanao where she launched the hospital’s first CT scan machine.
“Basta Pilipino ka lang, covered ka na ng PhilHealth. Kailangan lang ma-identify iyong mga mahihirap o indigent for sponsored program kasi sa sponsored program, no balance billing,” Ubial as saying in a dialogue with medical workers in Maguindanao.
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