
Fill gov’t hospitals with medicines and equipment – Cong. Tulfo
ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo, along with some other members of the House of Representatives, is proposing the passage of a bill that would require the Department of Health (DOH) to fill all the government-run hospitals in the country, especially those located in far-flung areas, with medicines and medical equipment.
Cong. Tulfo’s proposed bill, supported by ACT-CIS Representatives Edvic Yap and Jocelyn Tulfo, Benguet Cong. Eric Yap and Quezon City Rep. Ralph Tulfo, is entitled “Universal Medical Access and Equipment Act of 2025”.
“Nakakasawa ng marinig mula sa mga kababayan natin lalo na yung sa mga probinsya na walang gamit at gamot ang ospital nila”, said Tulfo, who is also the House Deputy Majority Leader.
According to the lawmaker, “Ang problema kasi ang pinopondohan lang ng DOH ay yung mga ospital na under sa kanila na mga malalaking ospital tulad ng Lung Center, NKTI, East Ave Medical at iba.”.
“Pero pag ang ospital under sa LGU, yun ang kawawa dahil hindi na sakop ng DOH funding kaya kulang-kulang o walang gamit at mga gamot lalo na pag yung ospital manage ng mahirap na LGU,” Tulfo explained.
Tulfo added that there are hospitals located in the provinces and municipalities, but if there are no medicines and medical equipment, what would be the purpose of these facilities.
Many of these hospitals in the provinces or municipalities, aside from having no medicines, do not even have the basic medical equipment such as x-ray, ECG machine, and an ultrasound machine.
“With this bill, lahat ng government hospital, whether hawak ng national government o LGU, kailangan bilihan ng gamit at gamot ng DOH through their medical assistance for indigent and financially incapacitated patients o MAIFIP funds,” Tulfo said.
The legislator also said that if it is necessary for them to increase the funds of DOH next year for this program, he would support it.
“Kaysa mapunta sa mga walang mga katuturan na proyekto, bakit hindi pa sa gamot at medical equipment,” he added.