KALUSUGAN bago ang lahat. Buhay bago ang lahat.

Amid these most daunting times, this battlecry of Ray Roquero, nominee for Anakalusugan Party list, couldn’t be more apt.

In a speech held recently in Iloilo City before the Philippine Councilor’s League – Antique, Roquero bared Anakalusugan’s unwavering determination to help fellow Filipinos overcome the current public health crisis with renewed hope, provide them means to overcome the economic hardships spawned by the forced and prolonged lockdowns and above all, save lives.

Roquero cited the role of councilors, as local policy-makers in nation-building, in providing a direct link to people’s aspirations and in being at the forefront of efforts to bring to local communities the fruits of development they deserve.

The Anakalusugan nominee said that in return, aspiring members of the national legislature, have the responsibility to listen to these voices, in order that their aspirations may better strengthen the substance of national policy.

“In this period of disruption and doubt about what the future holds, this is the time to cement partnerships with those who are your logical and natural allies in the national legislature. One such reliable partner that I have come to offer is the party-list Anakalusugan,” he said.

Roquero bared that Anakalusugan has responded to the crippling COVID catastrophe with a 10-point program designed to build up human resource, strengthen the healthcare system at the LGU level, and ensure just compensation for those directly involved in providing health care to the people.

Among Anakalusugan’s priorities, Roquero said, is to work for an increase in the “ayuda” given to senior citizens and to include PWDs — to make it commensurate to the basic needs of these marginalized sectors especially their medical and health needs like maintenance medicines and health supplements; regularization of the benefits of barangay workers, who are also frontliners like the barangay nutrition scholars (BNS), barangay health workers (BHW), barangay service point officers (BSPO), day care workers (DCW) to include the barangay tanods, and to have their honorarium converted to monthly regular benefits — which can be sourced from the increase in the national tax allotment (NTA), formerly called IRA of LGUs which due to the implementation of the Mandanas Ruling, will tremendously increase by almost 39% starting next year; and a raise in the salaries of health-care workers, ensuring that their monthly take-home pay is globally competitive — to make them stay at their jobs and prevent the exodus of our best health-care frontliners to greener pastures abroad.

Roquero added that part of the party list’s commitment to make health care services and goods accessible to all Filipinos, Anakalusugan is pushing for the exemption from Value Added Tax (VAT) of all medicines and medical drugs.

Anakalusugan is also proposing a free hospitalization program that will include provision of free medicines and medical supplies, free diagnostic and laboratory tests, enough and spacious free wards and hospital rooms including free professional fees.

He bared that Anakalusugan Foundation will soon launch the Galing Kalusugan Awards, in partnership with the DILG, the LGU Leagues like the PCL and the DOH, to recognize and incentivize innovative and excellent health related programs, projects and activities of local government units.

In the spirit of unity and with the ultimate goal of achieving unprecedented growth for the country, Roquero said Anakalusugan proposes all of these, and more, in the party list’s bid to build partnerships with the Philippine Councilors League.

“A partnership forged in the fire of a public health crisis in all likelihood will not wither away but will endure. Let us make our party-list mission a big part of your mission, too,” Roquero offered.

Anakalusugan nominees also include the wife of Batangas Gov. Dodo Mandanas, Atty. Gina Reyes-Mandanas and Rey Reyes, son of the Anakalusugan partylist chairman.

Roquero has long been a vital part of the nation’s development efforts. He has held previous positions as mayor of Valderrama, Antique, member of the PCSO Board of Directors, Undersecretary for Political Affairs, Undersecretary of DILG and Director of SBMA during the GMA administration.

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