Former Department of Health consultant Dr. Willie Ong filed on Thursday his certificate of candidacy (COC) for his Senate bid in the 2019 elections.
Ong, a medical doctor who advocates health and wellness online and on TV and radio, said he would be running so that the Senate would have a doctor who would address the health issues in the country.
“Nakita ko na meron tayong butas sa Senate. Wala kasing doctor doon,” he said. “So sabi ko, sino kaya ang pwedeng tumakbo [to address the health issues]?”
(We have a gap in the Senate where there is no doctor. I thought who could run to address health issues?)
He said his followers on social media encouraged him to run for senator.
Ong said that if he wins, he would push for free or more affordable medicines, and would make laboratory tests and health consultation free for Filipinos.
“Siyempre ang goal natin, yung gamot kailangan mas mura,” (My goal is to make the prices of medicines cheaper) Ong said in an interview before he filed his COC.
He said he would be running under the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party. /cbb/muf