Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, commended the collaborative efforts that led to a significant increase in the 2024 budget for the Department of Health.
The 2024 General Appropriations Act has earmarked approximately P241.1 billion for the DoH, significantly rising from the initially proposed P199.1 billion in the National Expenditure Program, highlighting an increase of P42 billion.
As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography and vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go played a key role in ensuring a sufficient budget for health this year after concerns were raised last year due to a proposed decrease in the health budget.
He expressed his elation over the budget augmentation. "This budget represents hope and improved health opportunities for millions of Filipinos. I am immensely proud that we have managed to secure this for our kababayans," he stated.
In the province of Bohol, the impact of Senator Christopher "Bong" Go's Malasakit Center initiative is profoundly felt among those struggling with medical challenges. Roselyn Vente, a 33-year-old mother from Tagbilaran City, shared her emotional ordeal as she fought for her daughter's life.
Her two-year-old, Margaret Vente, was diagnosed with a ventricular septal defect, a severe heart condition that threatened to overshadow their lives with despair.