Majority leader commends senator for pushing passage of hospital expansion bills

HOUSE Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez on Sunday commended Sen. Bong Go for showing “malasakit” (compassion) in pushing for the swift passage of several hospital expansion bills amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic during plenary deliberations last week.

“Thank you Sen. Bong Go for championing the country’s healthcare system as you foster empathy, compassion, unwavering commitment and sensitivity in pushing for the approval of several measures seeking to expand the bed capacities of our hospitals nationwide,” said Romualdez, chairman of the House Committee on Rules.

“Your pro-people legislation to make the lives of Filipinos comfortable has been inspiring us to work harder, smarter and more efficiently,” added Romualdez, a lawyer from the University of the Philippines (UP) and president of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa).

Romualdez and his wife, Tingog party-list Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez, are principal authors of twin bills pending in the Senate plenary seeking to increase the bed capacities of the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) in Tacloban City and the Schistomiasis Hospital in Palo, Leyte.

“These bills are seeking to upgrade the services, facilities, professional health care, and increase the number of medical personnel of two hospitals to serve the people,” bared Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD).

Romualdez also urged Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and senators to speed up the approval of these measures which are critical in improving basic healthcare services in the countryside.

“We earnestly urge our counterparts in the Senate to expedite the passage of these measures. The increase in bed capacity is aimed at bridging the current gap between hospital beds in the region and improve the quality of healthcare system,” Romualdez appealed.

“We are confident that the Senate is one with our goal to pass these bills into law to help the struggling hospitals keep up with the increasing number of patients, especially now with COVID pandemic,” Romualdez stressed.

Benguet Hospital

On Thursday, House Bill (HB) 6849 along with other local health bills, was sponsored by Go for approval on second reading.

However, ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap, chairman of the House committee on health, said measures were not approved due to issues raised by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon.

“It is very disappointing and heartbreaking. I went to Benguet General Hospital this morning for a test and our healthcare workers were asking me: ‘Cong., paano na? May pag-asa pa ba? Hindi ba nila tayo nakikita?’ Halos madurog ang puso ko sa narinig ko,” Yap said.

“One of the issues being raised is that the health service delivery is a devolved function and that the approval of HBN 6849 would add financial burden to the national government instead of the local government carrying the load,” Yap said.

“When we say it is devolved, are we saying that it is cast in stone? That we cannot undo it? That is exactly why we are subjecting it to the legislative process and it is well within our powers to amend laws, to make things right. Tama bang basta sabihin na lang na huwag na kasi devolved naman na yan? When health was devolved to LGUs, pareho ba ang estado ng mga local government? Pantay-pantay ba ng financial capacity? Kasama bang bumaba sa function ang pondo para sa devolution? Pero ang presyo ng gamot, ng mga hospital equipment, at ng maraming pang ibang gastusin para sa ospital, pareho lang. Pareho ng gastos pero hindi pareho ang capacity. Kaya maraming probinsya talaga ang hirap na hirap umangat,” the lawmaker stressed.

“This bill will not only benefit Benguet, but also our neighbors in the Cordillera. We have been deprived far too long, we do not have local income like other provinces and big cities. We may not see another chance like this again to fix the system. Yung subsidy ng probinsya sa hospital, mas magagamit sana namin sa pagpapagawa ng mga bagong kalsada para mapadali ang biyahe ng mga gulay namin papunta sa trading centers at tataas ang kita ng mga magsasaka. There will be a domino effect. But right now, we are at the mercy of few people,” Yap added.

The Senate suspended the consideration of the said measure on Thursday and is expected to resume deliberations of the local hospital bills on Tuesday.

“Senator Drilon, I would like to invite you here in Benguet. You are welcome to see what I am talking about. Leave the comforts of your home and help us. If you can’t find any reason in your books to support this bill, I pray that God will help you find a reason in your conscience and in your heart to make take this humanitarian step. We can’t watch another health worker leave because of low morale. We can’t see another person dying because we don’t have sufficient equipment. We can’t afford to refuse patients who traveled far because we don’t have hospital beds available,” Yap appealed.

Go is expected to sponsor HB 6849 again this week.

“We thank our Senator Bong Go for his malasakit and perseverance in sponsoring our measure. We will rally behind you. We thank you for going out of your way to check on our situation in the ground,” Yap said.

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Ryan Ponce Pacpaco