Dispatch from Crame No. 927: Sen. Leila M. de Lima on DOH Budget Cuts

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Even before the scheduled DOH budget hearing at the Senate, we hear again the plight and outcry of the healthcare sector because of significant budget cuts that deprive them of the arsenal to defeat the vicious virus that this administration has failed to combat.

Napakasaklap na sa gitna ng pandemyang pangkalusugan, habang patuloy na dinadagdagan ang budget para sa paboritong ahensya at programa ng Pangulo, habang patuloy na lumolobo ang kanyang Intelligence Fund, health sector ang naisasantabi at magdurusa. The proposed DOH budget, as correctly observed by the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW), is tantamount to nothing more than just alms.

Tila ba pinapagpalimos ang taumbayan para sa kalinga at malasakit na palaging ibinibida ng administrasyong ito. A P3.16 health budget per Filipino per day amid a global health crisis. Anong kalokohan ‘yan?! Malinaw na sa ating lahat na ang 2021 Budget ni Ginoong Duterte ay hindi para tugunan ang COVID-19 kundi para sa gutom, pagnanakaw, at pagpatay!

Reports have even surfaced that despite the P4.210B increase in budget for DOH regional hospitals and other health facilities, many regional hospitals are set to suffer budget cuts. Where will the said increase go when funding for doctors, nurses, midwives and other healthcare workers deployed in unserved and underserved areas is also set to be slashed by about two-thirds?

Huwag naman sanang sa kwestyonable at kontrobersyal muli na mga ospital na paborito ni Sec. Duque! Padaluyin niyo naman sa mga naghihikahos na ospital, lalo na doon sa malalayong nayon at probinsyang hindi sana inabot ng COVID-19 kung hindi naging palpak ang Balik-Probinsya Program.

Ang masaklap pa, sa kabila ng mapanlinlang na pagtataas kuno ng budget ng DOH, hindi man lamang pinondohan nang tama ang mga kailangan nating sandata sa pandemya. The proposed DOH budget shows no significant allocations for personal protective equipments (PPEs) and testing kits. While Duterte nonchalantly awaits the vaccine for COVID-19 in the comfort of Malacañang, healthcare workers will be abandoned once again to fend for themselves, to beg for PPEs, to plead for the protection that heroes like them deserve.

Kung mag-isip at magpabaya ang gobyernong ito, parang walang pandemya. Mukhang lulong at lasing na nga ang administrasyong ito sa mga kasinungalingan at propagandang patuloy nilang sinasalaksak sa taumbayan, na maging sila ay naniniwala na rin dito. Have they been living under a rock? Ang daming namamatay. Ang daming pamilyang hirap at gutom. Ang daming nanginginig sa takot, na sa bawat labas nila ng tahanan upang kumita para lamanan ang kumakalam na sikmura ay nangangamba rin sila sa problemang pinansyal na maaari nilang pasanin kung pati sila ay mahawa sa sakit. Tapos ito ang gobyernong mayroon sila – gobyernong takot sa Tsina, pero hindi takot sa pandemya? ###

Access the handwritten copy of Dispatch from Crame No. 927, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_927

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