Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano and Health Secretary Ted Herbosa. PDI/INQUIRER.net file photos
MANILA, Philippines — Senate minority leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday accused Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa of politicizing funds, noting that he was stripped off his capacity to refer patients to hospitals.
Cayetano made this accusation during his fellowship lunch, saying that his “job” is to reveal the problem in the country’s healthcare system. He then said that he was informed by some of his “friends” from the DOH that he can no longer refer patients to hospitals.
“That might be the price we have to pay. And we know, we don’t have enough personal resources to help everyone. But we have enough resources to hire buses,” Cayetano said in his speech.
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READ: No more need for health aid ‘guarantee letters’
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In January, Herbosa said that indigent patients will no longer need guarantee letters (GL) from any politicians to cover their medical expenses under the Zero Balance Billing program of the DOH. He noted that GLs are prohibited in government hospitals in availing Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program starting this year.
“So if by Monday or Tuesday, DOH, you don’t fix this, I will send the families of patients through buses so you can sign the assistance the patients needed. Because I am not backing out, they are sick,” he expressed.
Cayetano also took another swipe towards Herbosa, saying that: “You have a lot of money. You often go abroad, Mr. Secretary. You take pictures with those involved in vape, right? But you cannot even include flu shots. And just because you think that I am out of Malacañang’s eyes, you will remove that privilege from us.”
With this, he complained to Sen. Panfilo Lacson, noting that assistance programs such as MAIPIF, Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations, and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers cannot be used in politics.
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He then addressed Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, saying that he believes in Gatchalian in saying that that no funds were politicized during the latter’s stint as chairperson of the Senate finance panel last year.
“When he was chairman of finance, he said that there was no politics involved and everything was equal. And the amounts per senator were equal. Sen. Win, you’re now the Senate President. You have a DOH secretary who is politicizing. The ball is in your hands.” he expressed.
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The INQUIRER has sought a comment from the DOH and Gatchalian and is yet to receive a response as of this writing. /mr
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