President Rodrigo Duterte has certified as urgent the House of Representatives version of Universal Health Coverage Bill, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte issued the certification during the 27th Cabinet meeting on Monday night.
“I am pleased to announce that our Universal Health Care Bill which we sponsored, defended and passed in the House of Representatives was certified as urgent in tonight’s Cabinet meeting,” Roque said in a Twitter post.
In September 2017, the House of Representatives passed on third and final reading the bill providing for universal health care for all Filipinos.
The counterpart bill, however, is still pending at the Senate.
READ: House OKs universal care bill
Under the bill, Filipinos will have universal health care coverage and would benefit from the National Health Security Program, which will be the new name for the National Health Insurance Program. /kga