Realigning priorities in health care

As budget deliberations intensify, members of Congress are rightly turning their attention to a matter of national urgency: health care.

- JOE ZALDARRIAGA

Every Filipino deserves access to quality medical services, and it is the government's foremost duty to make this a reality.

This is precisely why the proposed 2026 budget of the Department of Health (DOH) has come under intense scrutiny. Lawmakers have voiced serious concerns after discovering that nearly P1 billion is earmarked for office repairs and beautification. At a time when public hospitals are overcrowded, understaffed and lacking essential resources, such an allocation raises questions about the department's priorities and how they reflect the needs of the Filipino people.

Former health secretary and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin questioned the allocation, saying the funds can better be used in support of the implementation of the Universal Healthcare Law.

Garin questioned how such a fund could pass through the Department of Budget and Management's review considering the pressing need for additional resources for public hospitals and rural health units. Moreover, the allocation contradicts the policy directive of President Marcos pushing for "zero balance billing" in hospitals.

While it is true that DOH employees deserve to work in safe, functional and dignified environments, the current state of our health care system demands a more urgent and compassionate allocation of public funds.