It has been a hectic week as we have recently ended what could only be called marathon plenary deliberations for the 2023 General Appropriations Bill.

For several days, the plenary debates lasted until the wee hours of the morning but there was never a decline in the vigor and meticulousness by which they were conducted as we were all aware of just how critical next year's budget is in our country's gradual and inclusive recovery from the pandemic.

As Chair of the Committee on Health and Demography, I am particularly thankful for the inclusion of an additional budget for the Department of Health, which includes the increased funding for the Cancer Assistance Fund and the hiring of immunization vaccinators to strengthen our immunization activities. Moreover, I commend the adoption of my proposed special provision under the PhilHealth budget that indicates the use of the P21 billion budget for the benefits package improvement under the Universal Health Care Act.

During the deliberations, I also took the opportunity to call on the DoH and the Department of Budget and Management to ensure that our healthcare workers and frontliners receive the benefits and compensation accorded to them under Republic Act 11712, which we earlier passed last 18th Congress.

I likewise reiterated the importance of the continuous upgrading of our health facilities. Related to this, I continue to advocate for the establishment of more Super Health Centers in our country to improve access to primary care facilities. Equally important is the affordability of health services. Thus, I also continue to push for the establishment of more Malasakit Centers to ensure easier access of indigent patients to government medical assistance.

Meanwhile, I have manifested last week my full support for the budget of several agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of National Defense, and Department of Transportation, considering their importance in making sure that our people receive the necessary government services and protection they deserve as functioning citizens of our country, especially in our path towards recovery.

In particular, DSWD has helped our people receive sufficient and adequate social services for their daily and basic needs through programs like Sustainable Livelihood Program, Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, Social Pension Program for Indigent Senior Citizens, and Balik Probinsya Program. It is only right that we continuously fund these programs and even augment them to help more of Filipinos in need.