The Issue of Poor Healthcare in the Philippines
GETTING SICK IS ONE OF THE most unfortunate things that could ever happen to a person, aside from dying. Not only that it involves full-time rest which means no work, but most importantly, it requires money. But getting sick is not the problem beacuse it is unavoidable but the real problem is the money for the medical expenses. As it turns out, there is a reason why our country, a seven-thousand-island archipelago, is called the Sick Man of Asia. While some people endlessly beg for medical assistance, we can’t help but wonder who is responsible in providing aid to the sick. We all know that an efficient health care system is not that easy to provide because it requires proper funding. In this case, should the government take full responsibility in providing its citizens with medical health care? Isn’t it the main obligation of the government to provide the needs of its citizens? The answers to this question we will give in this paper "Poor Healthcare in the Philippines Essay".
Majority of the Filipinos are living below the poverty line and this alarming situation proves that a third world country needs saving because if they can’t feed themselves twice a day and buy their basic needs, how are they supposed to pay for the medicines when they get sick? This is a sad reality! Some of these poor citizens will wait for their deaths due to being penniless and weak in the social hierarchy.It is also embrassing that our goverment allocates so much budget in solving crimes, boosting our tourism and paying high salaries to policemen but they can’t even prioritize the sick and nurse them back to health. While our government is busy making amends with China in the territorial disputes over West Philippine Sea, no one gives attention to our country’s health status. While President Duterte maintains a friendly relationship with Chinese President Xi Jin Ping to sort things out, showing mercy and compassion to our patients lying helpless in public hospitals because they can’t afford to buy their medicines for recovery is disregarded? While we strengthen our military and naval forces let us also bring our own people to life. While we defend our country from the attacks of other nations, let us not forget to save our countrymen.
Truly, health care is so important and if continuously ignored, it will bring adverse effects to us. It is a fact that it is outargeously expensive to establish highly-functional medical facilities and our country, being poor, can’t afford it all but we can still give sufficient medical care to all citizens if funds are not mishandled.The government may not be able to provide the most innovative treatments but as long as we can save the lives of the needy, it is already a job well done.Meanwhile, in the recent plenary session on the proposed P3.757-trillion budget for next year the government slashed off the P109.8 billion budget for the Department of Health this year to just P74.1 billion next year.In the DOH’s budget allocation for next year, its Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) will suffer, as it is given P50 million from P30 billion in 2018.
According to Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno this allocation is due to the agencies over spending in the last fiscal year.Given this premise the Filipino people are the one who will suffer again from the negligence of those who are in position in the DOH.However, people must not completely rely on the government to provide for their medical needs, except children, senior citizens, the unemployed and the homeless, as these groups are extremely financially vulnerable. Everyone must work hard so they can provide for their own. Every individual must always consider that the government is here to help us when we need it most, but not at all times. The government wants to put a Band-Aid when we have cuts but we must ensure that the next time we get hurt, we have an extra Band-Aid in our pockets.
