Ejercito says Duterte to sign Universal Healthcare bill into law this week

VIGAN, Ilocos Sur — President Rodrigo Duterte is due to sign the Universal Healthcare bill into law this week, Sen. JV Ejercito said here Monday.

Ejercito, one of the authors of the measure, made the announcement as he courted voters during Hugpong ng Pagbabago’s campaign sortie here.

“Ngayong linggong ito, naka schedule po na pirmahan ni Pangulong Duterte ang Universal Healthcare program. Dito po, bawat isa, taga Vigan, taga Ilocos Norte, bawat Pilipino, makikinabang,” Ejercito, who is seeking a second six-year term in the Senate, said.

The Universal Healthcare bill seeks to enroll all Filipinos under a state-backed health insurance program, both as paying and non-paying members.

It has a funding requirement of P257 billion, but was appropriated only with P217 billion under the proposed national budget for 2019.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque earlier said that the funding gap of P40 billion would mean not all hospitals or health centers as envisioned under the bill would be constructed.

The construction of barangay health units in fourth to sixth class municipalities would be prioritized, so that patients would not have to troop to the hospitals for minor ailments, Duque noted. —VDS, GMA News