Office of the President press release (www.op.gov.ph)
September 17, 2007

DIPOLOG CITY (PNA) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Monday said funds for healthcare and upgrading of government hospitals will be increased ten-fold by P1.3 billion in 2008.

During the inauguration of the P289-million Zamboanga del Norte Medical Center (ZNMC) here, the President said with the increase in budget allocation, more than 100 local hospitals all over the country will be upgraded from primary to secondary, or from secondary to tertiary levels.

By upgrading these hospitals, people living in rural areas who need operation or medical attention, don't have to travel very far.

Aside from improved health services, the new medical center would also provide affordable and accessible health care to the people of neighboring provinces.

For 2008, President Arroyo said about P370 million was alloted by the national government for the purchase of half-priced medicines given to the Department of Health (DoH) to be distributed in local and government hospitals nationwide.

The DoH is also mandated to reduce the financial burden of the poor families through the provision of the universal coverage under the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP).

The amount, she said, does not include the P1-billion fund alloted for the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC) also for the purchase of half-priced medicines from India by next year.

"Puwede pang gamitin ng mga ospital ang kita nila para pambili ng mga gamot at kagamitan (Hospitals can also use their income to buy their needed medicines and equipment)," she added.

The President said the government will add about 4,000 more Botika ng Barangay and Botika ng Bayan all over the country so more people especially in the rural areas can avail of half-priced medicines.

"In 2008, a total of 15,000 Botikas will be put up by the PITC and the DoH," she said.

President Arroyo also clarified that the half-priced medicine program of the government "is not a monopoly of the Philippine International Trading Corporation."

"Anybody who wants to buy half-priced medicines from India can do so even without going through PITC," she said.

The President also invited members of the drugstore industry, when she will have a state visit to India on October 4, to take the opportunity to buy half-priced medicines.

"If you need funds of the PITC for seed capital, technical and marketing assistance, you can go to them. But if you don't need them (PITC) for that then you can leave them," she added.

"Any drugstore, local government or national government can get half-priced medicines even without PITC," she reiterated.

The President said what is important is for the lower priced medicines to reach out to all Filipinos in the country.

"Dapat siguraduhin nating malusog an ating mga pamilya upang makapaghanap-buhay ang mga magulang, makapag-aral ang mga bata, at makapundar ng magandang bukas ang lahat ng mamamayan (We must ensure good health for our family so parents could work and the children could go to school for the country to have brighter future)," she said.

The new ZMNC located in Barangay Sicayab this city, has a 227-bed capacity.

Its services include tertiary healthcare in-patient and out-patient department, complete laboratory and diagnostic facilities, and accredited training programs for at least eight essential specialties.

"Asahan po ninyo na ang kalusugan ng ating mamamayan ay ating babantayan," the President said. (PNA)

released 9/17/2007

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