Marcos vows to strengthen support, promote healthcare workers' welfare

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday assured that the government will continue to beef up its support for healthcare workers through better training and improved safety and well-being initiatives.

He made the commitment as he led the send-off of 290 doctors deployed to far-flung areas under the government’s Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB) program.

In his speech in Malacañang, the President said the government stands firmly behind the country’s healthcare workers.

“We continue to strengthen the National Health Workforce Support System. We will invest in your training, in your safety, and your well-being so that you might be able to continue to serve with excellence, to heal with care, and to lead with compassion,” he said.

“Habang kayo’y nagsisilbi sa iba’t ibang panig ng bansa, dalangin namin ang inyong kalusugan at kaligtasan, at ang patuloy na lakas ng loob sa bawat araw ng inyong paglilingkod,” Marcos added.

(While you serve in different parts of the country, we pray for your health and safety, and your continued courage in every day of your service.)

The President said the DTTB Batch 43 of 290 doctors is the largest single deployment in the program’s history.

Almost 3,000 doctors have been deployed to remote areas across the Philippines since the DTTB program began in 1993.

“Maraming komunidad pa rin ang umaasa sa iisang doktor sa kabila ng dami ng taong nangangailangan ng serbisyong medikal. Ang ilan sa ating mga kababayan, kailangan pang bumiyahe ng ilang oras kahit may sakit na sila, gagastos sila nang malaki para sa pamasahe, at maghihintay nang matagal para makapagpakonsulta lamang ng manggagamot,” Marcos said.

(Many communities still rely on a single doctor despite the numerous people in need of medical services. Some of our countrymen have to travel for long hours, even if they’re sick, spend a lot on fare, and wait for long just for a consultation with a physician.)

“Dahil dito, sinabi ko sa DOH na tiyakin na makakapagpadala tayo ng mga doktor sa lahat ng munisipalidad, lalo na sa mga lugar na hindi madaling abutin at kulang ang serbisyong medikal,” the President added.

(Because of this, I told the Department of Health to ensure that we can send doctors to all towns, especially in areas that are hard to reach and lack medical services.)

He noted that through the sustained implementation of the DTTB program, the government reached a historic milestone of Zero Doctorless Municipalities nationwide in 2025. — JMA, GMA Integrated News