Aquino Gives Hospitals Half of What They Need For Health Services

Media Release | 12 September 2010 | Filipino patients will be getting less health services next year as the Aquino administration has significantly slashed the operational budget of almost all public hospitals. According to Health Alliance for Democracy, the “Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses” of public hospitals has been reduced by as much as 50% in the national budget for 2011.

“The MOOEs are the operational funds of these hospitals, their very life-blood,” said Dr. Geneve Rivera, secretary-general of HEAD. “If these are not enough, then the provision of direct health services will be adversely and severely affected. Filipino patients will suffer for this.”

Of the 55 public hospitals nationwide, the MOOE of Culion Sanitarium in Palawan will get the biggest cutback, more than 50% or P 13 million, from P25.9 million in 2010 to P12.9 million in 2011. This is followed by Western Visayas Medical Center, a tertiary hospital in Iloilo City, with a 42% decrease in MOOE amounting to a whooping P 39 million! In Metro Manila, eight of the 12 Department of Health retained hospitals have decreased MOOEs in 2011 amounting to a total of P70.8 million. The MOOE of Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, the DOH flagship hospital, is reduced by P 9.3 million, while that of San Lazaro Hospital, where most infectious cases are brought, is reduced by P 6.5 million.

“At a time when most Filipinos are hard-pressed to find adequate healthcare services, decreasing the budget of public hospitals is tantamount to a complete betrayal of the Aquino administration’s promise of prioritizing social services,” said Dr. Rivera.

However, the Aquino administration is not unaware of the growing needs of hospitals because it substantially increases the allocation of two hospitals under the Department of National Defense. The Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center has an increase of P168.0 million, from P923.5 million (2010) to P1.091 billion (2011), while the Veterans Memorial Medical Center also has an increase of P130.7 million, up to P820.2 million (2011) from P689.4 million (2010).

“If President Benigno Simeon Aquino III can give such an amount to hospitals under the DND, it should give the same, if not more, to DOH hospitals because these cater to the general public, particularly the poor,” added Dr. Rivera.

HEAD is proposing a P 90-billion alternative budget to the P 32-billion DOH budget being sought by the Aquino government for 2011. Part of this P 90-billion alternative budget is an allocation of P 40 billion for improving the public healthcare delivery system, particularly the state of public hospitals.

“All 12 DOH retained hospitals should each get P 1 billion while the 55 public hospitals nationwide should each get an average of P500 million. These funds will be used to improve and upgrade their equipment, and ensure sufficient medical supplies and medicines in their pharmacies.”

“The provision of health services should never be contingent on the patient’s ability to pay or the public hospital’s capacity to generate its own income. The provision of health services should be guaranteed by government to its people. Yan ang tunay na daang matuwid (That is the real righteous path)!” concluded Dr. Rivera. ### References: Dr. Geneve E. Rivera Secretary-General, 0920 460 3712 Dr. Gene Alzona Nisperos Vice Chair, 0927 483 2325