The Christmas season always brings back memories of Tatay Digong as it was the time to visit cancer patients in our hometown of Davao City. It was our way of giving them hope that made them happy. We also made it a point to be present whenever possible at the House of Hope Foundation for Kids with Cancer Inc.’s Survivors Day, where we would reunite with cancer patients who once were suffering from the illness, but are now living life to the fullest as cancer-free children. The House of Hope has been a sanctuary for kids with cancer, providing not just medical support but also a loving environment for patients and their families.
On 8 December, we were in Lanang, Davao City, to commemorate the Thanksgiving and Survivors Day of the foundation with Ms. Minda Cruz, president of the House of Hope, and Dr. Mae Dolendo, head of the Children’s Cancer Institute of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC). The thanksgiving celebration was dedicated to children and adolescents undergoing or who had completed their cancer treatment.
During the event, I could not help but remember how Tatay Digong and I used to visit the House of Hope. He always had a soft spot for cancer patients, especially children. For sure, if he was in the Philippines, he would be celebrating the milestone with them.
Despite his physical absence, I carry with me his values and legacy in taking care of cancer patients. That is why I want to continue to emphasize the importance of the Cancer Assistance Fund (CAF).
Over the years, as the former chairperson and now the vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, we consistently pushed for an increase in the CAF budget, which is a key component of the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA) or Republic Act No. 11215. Through this, the financial burden on patients and their families are eased.
We have also persistently advocated for improvements in the benefits offered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), understanding how vital this support is for patients grappling with serious illnesses. Following numerous appeals from us, PhilHealth committed to introduce an expanded range of benefit packages addressing the country’s top mortality illnesses.
These now cover treatments like chemotherapy for cancer patients, therapy for severe cardiac conditions, and a range of diagnostic services, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans. The benefits have also been extended to medical transportation services and critical assistive devices, such as wheelchairs and crutches.
As your senator, I am one of the authors and the principal sponsor of Republic Act No. 11959, which mandates the establishment of Regional Specialty Centers within existing Department of Health (DoH) regional hospitals. Through this law, SPMC now has specialty centers such as the Cancer Institute and the Kidney and Transplant Institute, bringing advanced medical services closer to patients. These centers help ease the burden on families by reducing the need for costly travel and accommodations in the capital, especially for those living in far-flung areas.
As we move forward, may we continue to draw inspiration from our cancer warriors—their strength, resilience, and hope remind us of our duty to serve with compassion, especially during this season of giving.
On the first day of the bicameral conference committee discussions on the proposed 2026 national budget, we reiterated the urgency to address the double whammy that poor Filipino patients have had to endure.
First, the P60-billion excess fund of PhilHealth was unconstitutionally transferred to the National Treasury in 2024. Second, PhilHealth was given a zero budget for 2025—one of the reasons I did not sign the bicam report last year.
From the start, I expressed strong disapproval of the immoral fund transfer. Despite provisions found in the General Appropriations Act of 2024, which authorized the Executive branch to transfer excess funds from various government-owned and controlled corporations, I have argued from day one that under the Universal Health Care Law, PhilHealth funds should be used only for PhilHealth. The Executive branch through the Department of Finance should have spared the PhilHealth funds. Ang pondo ng Philhealth ay para health (The funds of PhilHealth are for health)!
As then chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, we presided over 14 public hearings to provide a venue and voice for Filipinos on their health concerns. We pushed for critical issues, including the long-overdue Health Emergency Allowance of healthcare workers, and took a strong, unwavering stand against the PhilHealth fund transfer.
In the first place, PhilHealth could have avoided having excess funds if it had used the money optimally to increase case rates and expand benefits early on—before we even raised and urged such reforms during our hearings.
Following the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling that the PhilHealth fund transfer violated the law, we will remain vigilant so that Filipinos can utilize the health funds for their health concerns.
Meanwhile, we attended the bicameral conference committee meeting on 13 December as one of the Senate conferees, where I emphasized the urgent need to restore and properly utilize the P60-billion PhilHealth fund ordered returned by the Supreme Court.
I stressed that the money should be directed straight to essential health services, especially for people who need medical assistance the most. I underscored the importance of transparency in the approval and use of public funds, reminding everyone that these are the people’s funds that must translate into accessible and quality services for our people.
Also, on 11 December, we personally assisted the 295 fire victims in Caloocan City. The previous week, our Malasakit Team went to the grassroots and aided our various kababayan as they gave immediate assistance to the fire victims in Cebu City and the typhoon victims in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte.
We also gave additional assistance to displaced workers in Batad, Estancia, and Dueñas, Iloilo; Loboc, Bohol; Pasig City and Cagayan de Oro City.
Our team likewise attended the turnover ceremony of the new Super Health Center in Pikit, North Cotabato.
As Mr. Malasakit, I will continue to serve my fellow Filipinos "dahil bisyo ko ang magserbisyo at naniniwala ako na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo sa Diyos," (because to serve is my vice and I believe that service to the people is service to God).