Go pushes strong VMMC backing

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Thursday raised concerns over a proposed budget decrease for the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) during a budget briefing for the Department of National Defense (DND).

Go, who serves as vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on National Defense, asked DND officials to ensure the hospital receives adequate funding.

“I read that the budget for VMMC for 2026 seems to have decreased. I hope sufficient funds can be supported for this,” Go said in a mix of Filipino and English.

The senator noted that VMMC had requested a budget of P4.9 billion for 2026, but the Department of Budget and Management approved only P3.241 billion, or 65.84 percent of the request, in the proposed National Expenditure Program.

“As a health advocate, we also want to ensure the health and well-being of our soldiers, and we want them to have accessible medical service,” Go said.

The VMMC is a Level III, 766-bed capacity hospital intended to provide medical care to veterans, retired military personnel and their dependents. It is one of the government hospitals that houses a Malasakit Center and was heavily supported by former President Rodrigo Duterte for its operations and equipment, Go noted.