Dr. Gundo Weiler, WHO Philippines. NOY MORCOSO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — The Universal Health Care Act (UHC) has a “tremendous potential” to expand “quality and affordable” health services to Filipinos, World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative Dr. Gundo Weiler said Thursday.
Weiler, in a press briefing on Universal Health Care Law at the Department of Health office in Manila, said: “We from WHO consider this act a landmark legislation that has a tremendous potential for expanding quality and affordable health services for every Filipino.”
On Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the Universal Health Care bill, which seeks to expand PhilHealth coverage to all Filipinos.
READ: Duterte signs law expanding PhilHealth coverage to all Filipinos
Weiler also said WHO backs the realization of the new law as it assured “full support” to increased tobacco tax that would fund UHC’s impelementation.
“We lend our full support for an increase of tobacco tax as one of the measures to raise additional income. For us, the tobacco tax is a win-win measure,” he said. “It does protect the population in particular the poorest part of the population and it does raise resources for the implementation of the Act.”
Under the UHC law, funds for its implementation would be sourced from DOH as well as sin taxes, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., and PhilHealth’s government subsidy and members’ contributions.
Weiler lauded Senator JV Ejercito and Quezon 4th Dist. Rep. Angelina Tan for pushing for the measure at the Senate and House of Representatives. He also cited DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III for supporting the measure.
“We acknowledge in particular the strong leadership of the two chairs of the health committees – Senator Ejercito and Congresswoman Tan – for driving this legislation forward, and the support of the Department of Health and leadership of the Secretary of Health Dr. Duque,” he said. /kga