Medical advocacy groups call on gov't to suspend UHC amendments

GMA Network

2 days ago

A group of medical professionals have called on the government to defer the passage of proposed amendments to the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act and not to lower premium PhilHealth contributions.
In a press conference at Quezon City on Thursday, former Commission on Population and Development (CPD) Undersecretary Dr. Juan Antonio Perez III noted that the UHC law has not yet been fully implemented, and that some funds from sin tax collection that have not yet been fully disbursed.
'Ang UHC ay isang batas na binuo sa loob ng 18 taon, halos 20 taon, at pumasa lang noong 2019… Halos hindi na-implement hanggang 2022 ang mga saligang provision ng UHC dahil sa COVID crisis. Ang plano ng DOH at PhilHealth, mag-implement sa ilang pilot area pero sa ngayon wala pang 6 lugar sa Pilipinas ang nag-i-implement ng bahagi ng UHC, so makikita natin hindi pa napapatupad ang batas at hindi pa natin nakikita ang potential,' he shared.
(The UHC is a law that was created within 18 years, almost 20 years, and was passed only on 2019… The provisions of UHC was barely implemented until 2022 because of the COVID crisis. The plan of DOH and PhilHealth was to implement in several pilot areas, but until now less than 6 areas of the Philippines have implemented part of the UHC, so you can see that the law has not yet been implemented and we haven't yet seen it's potential.)
'Itong mga nawawalang pondong ito ang issue ngayon. Saan nila nilagay itong perang ito at bakit hindi inilaan sa kailangan na pondo ng PhilHealth?' he added.
(These lost funds is the current issue. Where did they place this money and why is it not being allotted for the funds needed by PhilHealth?)
Perez slammed the proposal to lower the contributions received by PhilHealth, noting that such move would eventually lead to bankruptcy by 2026.
'Kung ano-ano hadlang ang nangyayari… Lahat, ginigipit ang pondong pumapasok sa PhilHealth. Ang mahalaga rito, kung kulang ang pondo ng PhilHealth, hindi nila mabibigay ang karampatang benepisyo para sa mahirap… So magiging bankrupt na siya talaga o kulang ang pondo talaga para magtuloy-tuloy ang serbisyo,' he said.
(There are so many obstacles that have been happening… All of these hold back funds for PhilHealth. What is important here is that if there PhillHealth lack funds, they can not provide the necessary services for the poor… So it will just be bankrupt or lacking in funds to keep the services going.)
Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK) President Annie Geron echoed Perez's sentiments, stating that the bicameral meetings on the amendments for UHC happened without transparency.
Geron noted that the amendments would not benefit the people who actually need the provisions of the law and further exploit medical workers.
'This is without adequate assessment of the law's implementation and without inclusive and meaningful dialogue with workers and other stakeholders. Bakit ba minamadali?... Hindi pa nga nag-de-decision yung Korte Suprema. Bakit hindi maantay yung desisyon sa illegal transfer?' she questioned.
(This is without adequate assessment of the law's implementation and without inclusive and meaningful dialogue with workers and other stakeholders. Why exactly is it being rushed?... The Supreme Court hasn't issued a decision yet. Why can't they wait for the decision on the illegal transfer?)
She further noted that lowering contributions and removing funds from PhilHealth would mean that workers would have to shoulder costs of the UHC as the primary contributors.
'Inabandona ng gobyerno yung kaniyang obligasyon na maglagay ng pondo para makapagabot ng serbisyo. Anong ibig sabihin niyan sa manggagawa na tulad natin? Tayo magdadala, magpopondo, babalikatin natin, dahil tayo po yung binabawasan ng kontribusyon buwan buwan… Pag zi-nero yung budget, ipinasa satin yung gastusin ng UHC dahil nga di nilagyan ng gobyerno,' she said.
(The government has abandoned their obligation to place funds to provide service. What does it mean for workers like us? We will be the ones to carry it, fund it, shoulder it, because we are the ones paying monthly contributions… If the budget is zero, the responsibility of funding the UHC becomes ours because the government didn't fund it.)
Philippine Society of Critical Care Medicine Maricar Limpin said the new amendments will only punish the middle and lower class with bigger fees and costs, especially with the working class paying for the contributions.
Likhaan Center for Women's Health Executive Director Junice Melgar called on the Senate and Congress to prioritize fair and inclusive reforms that have been thoroughly discussed.
The groups hoped for a better outcome in the coming bicameral meetings on the amendments scheduled on June 9 and 10, adding that further protest movements may take place around the Congress and Senate buildings.
'Sana making sila sa panahon na ito, bago mag-Monday, para marinig nila yung boses ng mga manggagawa, mga doctor, mga komunidad na mga sumusuporta talaga sa UHC… Sana yung nakita [na] pangako ng UHC ay patuloy pa rin sundin sa pamamagitan ng buong implementation,' Perez said.
(I hope they listen this time, before Monday, so that they can hear the voices of the workers, doctors, and communities that support the UHC… I hope they see the promises of the UHC and continue this through a full implementation.) — BAP, GMA Integrated News