Drilon, Go clash during debates on local hospital bills

This is a combination of file photos of Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon (left) and Senator Bong Go. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senator Bong Go clashed over several hospital expansion bills after the latter accused the veteran lawmaker of delaying its passage and asking that debates on the measures be terminated, a practice that was “never” done in the Senate.

“One of the traditions of the Senate since time immemorial is that cloture is never invoked in the debates. Never, never. There are legitimate issues that we raised,” Drilon said during Thursday’s session.

“I resent and I take strong exception to the statement na pinapatagal ko ito. Implying that there is no other reason for the questions that we raised except for the desire to delay it. Totally uncalled for and I hope that is not repeated,” he added.

This developed after Drilon raised concerns about the said local bills being sponsored by Go, chairperson of the Senate health committee.

Some of the bills are seeking the renationalization and expansion of public hospitals, the funding of which is proposed to be shouldered by the national government.

But the minority leader pointed out that health services have been devolved to the local government units under the Local Government Code.

“Today, we are playing God. We’re saying that only certain health facilities will be brought back to the national government. Whereas certain health facilities should be supported by the local government,” Drilon said.

“Mind you, I am not against providing health services. I am just trying to get our Congress to come up with a definite policy for a better governance,” he added.

This, as he expressed concern over the financial ability of the national government to cough up funding given the effects of the pandemic.

“I am concerned about the finances of this government. Wala na ngang pera, wala na ngang collection,” Drilon said.

“Ang ayaw ko lang po ay we will again burden the national government, which is already hard up on funds. With funding requirements that can otherwise be absorbed by the local government,” he added.

Concerns raised by Drilon triggered lengthy deliberations as well as several requests for suspension in order to tackle policy issues involving the said bills.

“Sorry to tell you, you’re pretending that you are not against but really, you are against. In this crucial time, we need these facilities, we need these upgrades. The local government units are asking for assistance because they cannot take on these burdens,” Go said. He did not mention any names but is apparently alluding to Drilon.

“Paikot-ikot lang po usapan dito. Sinasadya lang po nating patagalin. Ibang usapan po ito ngayon, dapat po tayong magkaisa dito sa kapakanan po ng Pilipino. Pinasa na po ito ng lower House,” he said.

He further argued that with the country’s need to have more available hospital beds to cater to COVID-19 patients, passing the said bills would address such need.

At this point, Go motioned for the interpellation to be terminated. “Pagbotohan na lang po natin.” Drilon, however, was quick to object to this.

The minority leader took exception to Go’s claim that the former is trying to delay the passage of the said measures.

“That the lower house has passed this? Yes. Of course [the bills were] passed. But precisely that’s our system of check and balance. We are a bicameral legislature and therefore we check on each other,” Drilon also pointed out.

He also took note of Go’s constant requests for suspensions when he was being interpellated on the said measures.

“If the good sponsor (Go) can answer questions in a more precise manner… eh baka mapabilis tayo,” Drilon said.

Drilon further pointed out that the said bills have been pending in the upper chamber in the Senate. Committee hearings on the measures, he added, have been done six months before the bills were reported out in plenary for debates.

“If there was really an urgency, it should have been reported out earlier,” he added. Reporting out bills to the plenary is the task of the committee chairman – in this case, Go.

Go expressed willingness to set aside bills that seek to “renationalize” some hospitals but pushed for the immediate passage of measures that merely aims to increase the bed capacity of several health facilities.

In the end, the chamber agreed to table all the bills in order for the senators to iron out any policy concerns they may have. The Senate will resume discussions on the matter on Tuesday next week.

Go, for his part, stood pat on the urgency to pass the said measures, citing the lack of hospital beds during the surge of COVID-19 cases in the first quarter of 2021.