Pacquiao mulls free medical services for seniors, barangay health system modernization if elected

Senator Manny Pacquiao said on Sunday that is he wins the presidential race in Eleksyon 2022, his administration would prioritize senior citizens and barangay health workers by giving them free medical services, funded by money saved from an anti-corruption campaign.

In a statement, Pacquiao said that the elderly population must be well taken care of through free hospitalization, medical checkups, and maintenance medicine subsidy on top of their usual discounts.

“We have to shower our senior citizens with all the love that we can give. They have done their part as citizens of the republic and as parents to their children so it’s time that we honor them by making life more comfortable for them,” he said.

He said that funding for these projects can be obtained from the billions of funds that will be saved by a campaign against corruption. He said that by his estimate, corruption is costing Filipino taxpayers at least P1 trillion a year.

“If we can stop the massive corruption in our government institutions such as the Department of Health and PhilHealth, we can easily have enough money to help our senior citizens. Kailangang pasayahin naman natin sila bago sila mawala sa mundo [We must make them happy before they die],” Pacquiao said.

Further, he added his priorities also include strengthening and modernizing the country’s barangay health care system to de-clog government hospitals especially with the threat of COVID-19, and professionalizing barangay health workers.

“Masyadong mahina ang ating barangay health care system dahil maliban sa wala namang gustong maglingkod na mga medical professionals dahil napakababa ang sweldo, wala ring sapat na mga kagamitan ang ating mga barangay health centers,” Pacquiao said.

(Our barangay health care system is very weak because aside from the fact that medical professionals don’t want to serve in barangays because of low salary, there is also not enough equipment in the local health centers.)

Pacquiao said that the government can equip barangays with medical facilities to deal with minor health emergencies including child delivery and basic diagnostic services, while government hospitals can focus on more serious ailments and emergency cases.

“Yung mga simpleng sugat o kahit ‘yung panganganak, dapat kaya na itong gawin sa ating mga health centers basta kumpleto sila sa kagamitan at may mga medical staff naman na may kakayahan magsagawa ng mga simpleng medical procedure,” he added.

(Simple wounds and even child delivery must already be done in health centers given that they have complete equipment and they have medical staff who could operate simple medical procedures.)

He said this will also be possible by putting a stop to corruption and ensuring proper use of public funds. — BM, GMA News