Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto and Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa continue to strengthen collaboration to roll out more health projects beyond those already funded in the 2024 national budget and the proposed 2025 budget, ensuring the overall welfare and health security of all Filipinos.
The Secretaries met on September 30, 2024 to discuss funding support for the DOH’s additional health projects.
“Trabaho po namin sa DOF na maghanap ng sapat na pondo para sa mga gastusin ng gobyerno na umaabot sa PHP 15.8 bilyon kada araw ngayong taon. At isa sa mga pinakamahalaga dito ay ang mga proyektong pangkalusugan at mga programang direktang nagtataguyod sa kapakanan ng bawat Pilipino,” Secretary Recto said.
“This includes providing more healthcare facilities, ensuring accessible access to them through better infrastructure, ensuring food security for all through boosting our agricultural productivity, giving economic opportunities for our people to increase their incomes and capacity to buy medicines and vitamins, and lifting more Filipinos out of poverty—because this ultimately breeds hunger and disease,” he added.
Among the projects on the table is the PHP 14.31 billion Health Facilities Enhancement Program, which covers the provision of infrastructure, medical equipment, and transport vehicle support to local government units, DOH Hospitals, Centers for Health Development, and other health facilities.
Meanwhile, the Operations of the Philippine Health Laboratory System worth PHP 136.0 million support the laboratory functions of the DOH in implementing disease surveillance.
It also provides proficiency training in areas such as RT-PCR, biosafety and biosecurity, drug testing, water analysis, HIV testing, and evaluation of In-Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices (IVDMD) kits and reagents.
In addition, the PHP 292.03 million Regulation of Regional Health Facilities and Services supports the operations of the Center for Health Development Regional Licensing and Enforcement Division (RLED).
The office is responsible for monitoring continuous compliance as well as providing technical assistance, consultation, and advisory services to stakeholders regarding health facility regulation.
Also included in the lineup of projects for funding is the hiring of immunization vaccinators worth PHP 315.72 million, who will conduct immunization sessions and collect immunization data for the attainment of the 95% Fully Immunized Child indicator.
Meanwhile, the PHP 467.20 million funding for the Health Promotion Program focuses on increasing health literacy, developing and implementing the Health Promotion Framework Strategy (HPFS), and executing health promotion policies and programs.
Health policy development programs and projects will also be funded.
The International Health Policy Development and Cooperation worth PHP 10.10 million will strengthen collaboration with international health partners.
On the other hand, the PHP 10.0 million Health Facility Policy and Plan Development will improve health services by formulating policies and developing standards for the establishment, development, management, and operation of health facilities across the country.
Meanwhile, the Pharmaceutical Management initiative worth PHP 20.0 million will implement the National Drug Policy, conduct policy studies, and make recommendations to enhance access to medicines.
On top of these, the DOH is pushing for the implementation of the Health Sector Governance and Strategy Management (PHP 65.10 million), Regulation of Health Establishments and Products (PHP 61.32 million), the Provision of Quarantine Services and International Health Surveillance (PHP 30.17 million), the Philippine Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Project (PHP 1.16 billion), and the Health System Enhancement to Address and Limit COVID-19 (HEAL) I (PHP 102.66 million).
The DOF also secured financing for the PHP 27.92 billion Philippines: Health System Resilience Project Phase One, which was recently approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board.
The project will enhance health emergency prevention, preparedness, and response in vulnerable areas in the country.
The DOH has already identified 17 provinces for the project’s pilot run, which belong to areas with poor access to healthcare.
“These projects are aligned with DOH’s 8-point Action Agenda, which serves as our springboard to advance universal health care for all Filipinos. We thank the Department of Finance for its commitment to providing funding for these initiatives that require our utmost urgency,” Health Secretary Herbosa said.
Early this year, the DOF was able to source funding for the PHP 27.50 billion long-overdue benefits and allowances of health care and non-healthcare front liners during the pandemic, representing 5.04 million claims.
This was done through the sweep of the unused, idle, and excess funds of government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) as mandated by Congress under the GAA of 2024.
This allowed the government to settle in full a total of 10.64 million benefits and allowances claims of pandemic front liners amounting to PHP 121.30 billion.
