Filipinos aspire for and deserve convenient access to healthcare services in the face of unforeseen events that may seriously affect their lives.

As the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, I must find means to make medical services and programs accessible and affordable for our people.

That is why throughout this year, we have been pressing the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation to prioritize improving its services and benefits to all Filipinos who are members of PhilHealth.

After consistent and continuous appeals and numerous Senate Health committee hearings, PhilHealth has officially committed to ensuring the implementation of its promises such as recommending the reduction of premium contributions; increasing case rates; and expanding benefit packages, especially for the top 10 mortality diseases; provision of free medicines and assistive devices, such as eyeglasses and wheelchairs; inclusion of dental, visual, emergency and preventive care; as well as updating policies to meet the needs of our people such as their promise to remove its 24-hour confinement rule. Our relentless scrutiny has already led to the scrapping of PhilHealth’s "flawed" Single Period of Confinement Policy.

Although most of these commitments are still works in progress, our committee will sustain its oversight of PhilHealth’s performance, especially with the looming December deadline for the promised benefit package expansions, among others.

Moreover, to ensure accountability and justice in the health sector, especially for the poor citizens, we actively urge PhilHealth to refine its operations and ensure that funds allocated for healthcare are used efficiently and strictly for the intended purpose alone. After all, ang pera para sa kalusugan ng mga Pilipino ay dapat gamitin para sa kalusugan ng mga Pilipino — ang pondo ng PhilHealth ay para sa Health!

The temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court on the transfer of PhilHealth's excess funds to the National Treasury was welcome news.

I have always maintained that it is immoral for PhilHealth to have excess funds in the billions while millions of Filipinos are still unable to pay their hospital bills.

In a statement we made as early as July this year, we expressed our strong opposition to this move, stating that it may compromise PhilHealth's ability to safeguard its members.

During a Senate Health Committee hearing on July 30, we further restated that rerouting PhilHealth's funding for purposes other than health is immoral and unacceptable to me.

No less than Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III reiterated this stance and on August 2, he filed in the Supreme Court a petition to stop the transfer of PhilHealth funds. Other petitions against the transfer of PhilHealth funds were also filed in the following weeks.

In my privilege speech delivered on 27 August during a Senate plenary session, other Senators also expressed their concerns on the matter as we discussed several outdated and anti-poor policies of PhilHealth that have been left unchecked.

As your Mr. Malasakit, I will be with the Filipinos throughout this process and will not stop until proper access to our healthcare services is duly given to every patient in need.

As we committed to continue our service to the Filipinos, on 28 October, we attended the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing investigating the war on drugs conducted by the administration of then-President Rodrigo Duterte. We emphasized the importance of continuing the fight against illegal drugs as it benefitted the whole society while also crafting laws that would strengthen law enforcement, promote drug prevention among the youth and possibly include it in their curriculum, streamline rehabilitation processes, creating opportunities for rehabilitated drug users, provide counseling in communities, and deter any form of abuse of power as we reiterated FPRRD’s stand that the police must fulfill its mandate within the bounds of the law and protect innocent lives.

During the Cooperative Development Authority’s (CDA) Gawad Parangal Awards Ceremony in Manila on October 29, we were honored with the Supportive Legislator Award.

On 30 October, we once again provided support to 23 cooperatives in NCR through the “Malasakit sa Kooperatiba” program with CDA. On the same day, we attended the Rising Tigers Charity Ball where we were the sole senator to be recognized as Public Servant of the Year.

Meanwhile, my Malasakit Team also extended help to the needy the previous week as they immediately aided 13 fire victims in Davao City; nine in Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte; and 45 in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte.

We also provided support to 118 fire victims in Cagayan de Oro City; and three in Tolosa, Leyte. They also received emergency housing assistance from the NHA which we advocated for.

My team also assisted 751 residents in Dauin, Negros Oriental with Mayor Galicano Truita. They received further financial support through our partnership with the local government.

Furthermore, 213 displaced workers were assisted in Sogod, Southern Leyte with Mayor Shefferd Tan; 98 in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte with Philippine Councilor League President Handy Lao; 1,000 in Polomolok, South Cotabato with Mayor Bernie Palencia; 59 in Cagayan de Oro City and 139 in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental with Mayor Erick Cañosa and BM Robert de Lara. Aside from our aid, they were also provided temporary employment by the government.

Last week, we also aided 400 impoverished Filipinos in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro with Mayor Elgin Malaluan; 899 in Loboc, Bohol with Mayor Raymond Jala; and 400 in Biñan City, Laguna with city Councilors Doc Elvis Bedia, Rommel Dicdican, and Rafael Cardeño, and Board Member Bong Bejasa.

The aftermath of Typhoon Kristine has brought various casualties. In Talisay and Laurel, Batangas, my Malasakit Team visited the families of 31 casualties to send condolences and support. We also provided 250 grocery packs in Talisay and 400 in Laurel. We also aided 250 flood victims in Bulan, Sorsogon; 150 in Magpet, North Cotabato; and 700 in Camarines Sur.

My Malasakit Team also joined the inauguration of the Super Health Center in Gumaca, Quezon and the turnover of a Super Health Center in Santiago, Agusan del Norte. We also supported the International Dragon Boat Championship Competition Grand Opening and the Celebration of Indigenous Month 2024 in Digos City.

We will continue our efforts towards bringing services closer to Filipinos in need. Sa abot ng aking makakaya, tutulong ako sa kapwa ko Pilipino dahil bisyo ko po ang mag-serbisyo at naniniwala ako na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo sa Diyos.