Remaining true to his campaign promise of looking out for the welfare of the Filipino people, President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to use a “good portion” of the revenue generated by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) for the procurement of medicines and upkeep of public hospitals in the country.

The President — who recently led the ground-breaking ceremony for the proposed San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital in Malabon — stressed that revenues from PAGCOR may be shifted to the needs of public hospitals such as equipment and medicines.

“The medicines will have to be sourced from the money that PAGCOR makes. At least a good portion, maybe half of it,” Duterte told reporters after his speech. “The medicines are important. I really grieve for people who go around strutting, carrying with them receipts. You just go to the hospital and we will try to make out something out of this.”

Duterte noted that the diversion of funds from PAGCOR to public hospitals is the way to go, stressing that he is just putting gambling money into good use.

“I will really use the money from PAGCOR. After all, that came from gambling. Might as well put it to good use,” said Duterte who also said he will tap funds from PAGCOR for the medical needs of those wounded from the Jolo, Sulu twin blasts over the weekend.

The President also said the construction of the new public hospital is expected to have a 200-bed capacity — expanding the existing 10-bed capacity of the San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital — is “indeed a promising development.”

Duterte is expressing confidence that doctors and allied medical professionals would be his administration’s steadfast partners in the mission to provide high-quality healthcare by remaining true to their Hippocratic Oath.

“I also enjoin all health workers to observe the Code of Conduct and Patient’s Rights to the best of your ability. May you continue to provide accurate, responsive, and compassionate medical care for our people,” Duterte said.