Call to Sen. Go and Sec. Herbosa

Dear Senator Bong Go and Health Secretary Ted Herbosa, The Bridge is writing to you directly because, like us, you are very much concerned about medical care for our people, and that necessarily includes the financial challenges that go with it.

We know you prefer to work and do your best in the position to which you were entrusted. That is why we come to you to resolve the thorny, irritating, and financially challenging issue of hospitals demanding deposits before they would attend to patients.

This concern brings to the fore unimaginable difficulties faced by patients and their families due to the illegal demand. Illegal because RA 11932 or the Anti-Deposit Law strictly prohibits any demand by hospitals for a deposit.

The Bridge knows how focused you both are on the people’s health issues and concerns, and we appreciate what you do for financially challenged patients and their families.

That’s why we at The Bridge decided to call your attention to the issue, knowing you can do something about it. Perhaps a Senate inquiry, Sen Bong, may bear fruit.

Furthermore, if case/s need to be filed, and if you can provide us with lawyers, we are willing to go through the process of prosecuting cases of violation of RA 11932.

The Bridge, among millions of our countrymen, has been a victim of hospitals’ insatiable greed for profits. Twice in 2024 and once more recently, two big hospitals, namely, Makati Medical Center and Medical Center Muntinlupa, demanded deposits in direct and culpable violation of RA 11932.

Despite pleas and explanations to hospital administrators and admission personnel, two patients, for example, were left to wait, because MMC and MCM would not attend to the patients until deposits were made.

The MMC, only last 28 April, demanded P30,000 from a patient. MMC is owned by Metro Pacific Investment Corp. headed by the kind-posturing Manny Pangilinan. Apparently, he doesn’t care if a patient dies as long as his pockets are filled. Service/s at this hospital are clearly not principally for medical care but for the giant firm’s objective which is its business.

In the first part of this series exactly a year ago, many victims came to us to validate what we wrote that we had yet to find a medical center that didn’t demand a deposit.

Why do we call it greed? Looking into the details of hospital bills will show that medicines are charged to patients at thrice the price of drugstore chains in your neighborhood. Even tape for bandages are included in the bill. Grrr! It could be that Mr. Pangilinan is not aware of what his people are doing but we doubt it.

With the above, we call on you, Sen. Bong Go as Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Health Secretary Ted Herbosa, to give this deep thought and act to resolve the malady brought about by hospitals’ non-compliance with the law.

Thank you, Sirs, in advance!

For comments, tweet billy andal, email @andalbilly@yahoo.com and subscribe to The Bridge@Daily Tribune and FB Page.