Easier and equal access to health care may soon be provided to all Filipinos.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday led a ceremonial signing activity on all the bills he had enacted into law in the last few weeks.
Among them is the Universal Health Care bill, which he signed during the ceremony.
The bill aims to expand the coverage of Philhealth to all Filipinos both home and abroad, whether as indirect or direct contributors.
Philhealth coverage will also cover free diagnostic services, consultation fees, and medical tests.
Additional funds for Philhealth will be sourced from the charity fund of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, income from the Philippine Gaming Corporation, members' contributions, the national budget for the Department of Health, government subsidies, and sin tax collections.
However, with the bill on additional sin taxes on cigarettes still pending in Congress, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that funding for universal health care might be reduced.
"Pagkakasyahin muna natin until such time na dumating ang pondo … gradual ang implementation pero meron pa namang ano, there are many ways to augment resources," Panelo said in a press conference.
[Translation: We will work with available resources until more funds come … the implementation will be gradual.]