Ensuring the well-being of our people is always the top priority of your Senator Kuya Bong Go. As the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, I am one with the whole nation in envisioning the best healthcare service for every Filipino.

That is why during the Senate’s ratification on 11 December of the Bicameral Committee Report on the 2025 national budget, we expressed our deepest reservations on the zero-budget allocation for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation next year.

Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law mandates that the amount necessary to implement the provisions of the UHC shall be included in the GAA. Earmarking for the UHC has also been provided under RAs 11346 and 11467 or the Sin Tax Laws. There is also a provision in the UHC Act that premium subsidy from indirect contributors shall be included annually in the General Appropriations Act.

Our people demand answers: How can PhilHealth efficiently implement its commitments for better healthcare benefits if no funds were allocated? Will our relentless and consistent efforts in our committee hearings to effect PhilHealth policy reforms be compromised by this?

During the previous Senate Committee on Health hearings, it was revealed that PhilHealth has a reserve fund of about P500 billion. While we pointed out the agency's lapses in not utilizing more efficiently such funds, I believe that it does not give justice to deprive PhilHealth of the government's subsidy entirely, as it is the poor, the hopeless, and the oppressed Filipinos who will suffer ultimately.

As we demand for PhilHealth to utilize their funds properly to benefit the poor, we should also support the agency in reaching this goal by providing sufficient funds to strengthen our country's health sector — in line with the Universal Health Care Law.

More importantly, funding intended for health must be used and allocated for health! I am saddened that the funding intended for Philhealth has been diverted for other purposes. Let us be reminded that under the UHC Law, Filipinos should be ensured that healthcare expenses are kept to a minimum. Unfortunately, we are still far from achieving this goal, and it may become even more difficult with the zero-subsidy allocation for next year.

Despite these reservations, we commend our fellow lawmakers for allocating sufficient budget for other sectors that we are fighting for, including sports and the youth. We must all work together to make sure that the government's budget is used to bring about significant change that improves the lives of Filipinos, especially the most vulnerable.

Meanwhile, our mission to uplift communities continues. On 9 December and 10, we joined the 39th anniversary celebration of the Kabalikat ng Bayan sa Kaunlaran (KABAKA) Foundation in Malate, Manila, with its founder, former Congressman Amado Bagatsing, where I was declared an honorary member.

On 11 December, as chairperson of the Senate committees on Health, on Sports and on Youth, we attended the Commission on Higher Education's (CHED) All-Star Basketball Friendship Game Opening Ceremony with Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chair Popoy De Vera. We also assisted 228 recovering fire victims in Taguig City. At night, we attended the Oriental Mindoro Mayors Christmas Party with Governor Bonz Dolor and joined the Christmas year-end party of League of Municipalities of the Philippines National Directorate Members.

On 12 December, we were represented by our good friend, Phillip Salvador, during the Barotac Viejo Iloilo Patubas Festival Opening Ceremony with Mayor Bongbong Tupas.

On 13 December, we visited Pangasinan to provide support to various sectors being an adopted son of the province. In Calasiao, we gave gifts to 1,500 daycare pupils and their parents; and in partnership with Governor Monmon Guico, we gave assistance to 1,000 impoverished residents. Meanwhile, in Lingayen, we attended the Barangay Captains Day where we supported around 1,300 barangay captains.

Meanwhile, our Malasakit Team’s dedication to help continues as last week, we extended immediate assistance to 20 fire victims in Davao City; three in Iloilo City; and 62 in Cagayan de Oro City.

We also gave additional help to 380 fire victims in Talisay City, Minglanilla, and Cebu City, Cebu; 19 in Cagayan de Oro City; 269 in Las Piñas City; 50 in Pateros City; 36 in Makati City; and 67 in Bacoor City, Cavite. We also assisted 34 landslide victims in Maco, Davao de Oro. These beneficiaries received emergency housing assistance as well to procure materials to rebuild their homes.

Aside from advocating for temporary employment for displaced sectors, a total of 88 struggling workers were assisted by our team in San Jose, Tarlac, with Mayor Romeo Capitulo; and 53 in Bustos, Bulacan, with Vice Mayor Martin Angeles. We also supported 1,000 working students from Candaba, Pampanga, together with Mayor Rene Maglanque.

In coordination with the local government of Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur, we aided 1,500 impoverished residents who also received financial support through our partnership with Mayor Eddie Relacion.

In Ormoc City and Tacloban City, our Malasakit Team assisted a total of 2,000 graduates of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in partnership with the Philippine Call Center Institute.

Additionally, a total of 347 students in Basilan received scholarships through our partnership with CHED and additional support from our Malasakit Team.

The previous week, our Malasakit Team joined various activities, such as the Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) Bulacan Chapter year-end assembly and the Negros Occidental Chapter Philippine Councilors League (PCL) year-end assembly. We also supported a sportsfest as the vice chair of the Senate Committee on Sports in the Mountain Province; as well as the inauguration of the Super Health Center in Bansud, Oriental Mindoro and in San Remigio, Antique.

Lastly, I am grateful to have been recognized as a Public Service Hall of Fame awardee at the Golden Globe Annual Awards for Business and Filipino Achievers (GGAABE). With or without an award, I will continue to fulfill my work as your Mr. Malasakit and will not waste the opportunity given to me to be of service to others. Bisyo ko po ang magserbisyo at naniniwala ako na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo din sa Diyos.