SENATOR Joseph Victor Ejercito, chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, is upbeat that the Universal Health Care (UHC) Bill, which will give access to all Filipinos for automatic inclusion in the National Health Insurance Program of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth), will be signed into law before the year ends.
"The Universal Health Care bycam, hopefully by November 19 we will ratify it and we will forward both bills to the President upon ratification. Ang target [is] December it will [be] signed into law by the President," Ejercito said on Tuesday during a press conference at Grand Regal Hotel.
Last week, October 10, the Senate Bill No. 1896 was approved with 14 affirmative votes, no negative vote, and no abstention. The bill was certified by the President as urgent.
"It is giving Filipinos access to good quality health care. Pag nakapasa na ang Universal Health Care at napirmahan na, it will now be 100 percent coverage to all Filipinos basta Pilipino ka automatic ikaw ay miymebro na ng health insurance or Philhealth," Ejercito said.
He, who sponsored the bill, said should this be finally ratified and signed into law, it will facilitate the improvement of hospital facilities to give the public quality health care services without breaking their banks.
The bill also calls for the improvement of doctor-to-patient ratio; the upgrading of hospital bed capacities and equipment; and the establishment of hospitals in remote areas.
"I'm proud it was under my watch that these two landmark bills were passed on third reading," he added.
With this, it will now round up all the funds together such as the Department of Health (DOH) medical assistance, Philhealth subsidy, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) charity fund and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation to provide indigent Filipinos affordable hospitalization even those residing in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas.
"We will have a more strategic and even distributed assistance to all Filipinos. This is a breakthrough. At least hindi na tatakbo ang tao pupunta pipila sa PCSO, pupunta sa Pagcor, pupunta sa congressman, pupunta sa mayor," he said.
He likewise added that the fund to be used for these improvements will be sourced from the proposed sin tax increase.
