- 4/21/2025
SunStar Cebu’s Beyond the Ballot 2025 goes live today, Wednesday, April 16, 2025, featuring the 152 Heal PH Party List and its nominees—Dr. Eric Tayag, Gen. Bennie De Leon, and Dr. Andrew Fick Jimenez—as they discuss their advocacy for better healthcare and public service.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Good afternoon, everyone. Good afternoon, Cebu. Welcome to today's episode of Sansar Cebu's
00:21Beyond the Ballot 2025. I'm Mildred Galarpe. And I'm DJ Moises. In today's episode, we shift
00:28our attention to the party list race, a vital part of our democratic process where sectoral
00:34groups seek representation in Congress. This time, we are putting the spotlight to a party
00:41list group that aims to champion health and public service across the nation. 152-HEAL-PH-PARTYLIST.
00:50The goal of this conversation is simple. To give you, the voter, a clear and deeper
00:57understanding of what the 152-HEAL-PH-PARTYLIST stands for, what they hope to accomplish in
01:05Congress, and who are the people behind it. So the format remains the same. The first 30
01:12minutes will be a conversation with each of our guests from the party list. And then the
01:18remaining time, we will go over the five core questions, each to be answered within two minutes
01:23and 30 seconds. We've shared the questions with them a day ahead to ensure fairness and
01:29transparency across all our interviews.
01:37Candidate Profile. Each nominee will share their background, role within the party list,
01:43key advocacies, and the reasons why they are running for a seat in Congress under their party
01:48list banner. This segment allows viewers to understand who they are, what they stand for,
01:54and who they aim to represent. Five core questions. In the second half of the interview,
02:01each nominee will respond to five essential questions that highlight their legislative priorities,
02:06plans, and policy positions. Each answer must be given within a two-minute and 30-second time limit
02:13to ensure fairness and focus.
02:18And now let's welcome the individuals who make up the leadership of 152Hill PH party list.
02:30Joining us today is no other than Dr. Eric Tayar,
02:34General Benny DeLeon, Dr. Andrew Fick Jimenez.
02:39Yes. Good afternoon, sir. Good afternoon, sir. Good afternoon, sir. Good afternoon, sir.
02:44Good afternoon, sir. Good afternoon, sir. Good afternoon, sir.
02:46Okay. Who doesn't know Dr. Tayar?
02:51Well, maybe I can reintroduce myself to you.
02:54Yes, perfect. Yeah, maybe each of you, no?
02:56Yes, I'm Dr. Eric Tayar. I served the Department of Health for the past 35 years,
03:03and I retired last year, and all three of us shared the same soldier's sign.
03:10And I told you earlier that it was my birthday last April 4th.
03:15Yes.
03:16Now, in the 35 years that I have served government,
03:20I've actually served seven presidents of this republic
03:24and 18 secretaries of health.
03:28And I'm an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist,
03:33and I retired as an undersecretary of health.
03:36And I also became an official spokesperson.
03:39And now, the first nominee of the Hill PH party list, number 152.
03:46Okay. Okay. Dr. Benny. General Benny. See, doctor lahat eh.
03:52I'm a member of Hill PH.
03:58I'm Major General Benito Antonio Templo de Leon, retired.
04:04And I had 44 years in government service.
04:09And retired three times in government.
04:12My first was as a military officer, a retired military officer,
04:18and held the rank of Major General.
04:23And the last assignment I've had in the military
04:25was as the Inspector General of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
04:30After that, I was taken as a department head
04:35in charge of public safety and security of Davao City.
04:40And there, I served for, again, three years.
04:44And then, the last that I've served in government
04:47was as undersecretary for environmental enforcement
04:52of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
04:57And with my background in policy formulation
05:00and policy implementation,
05:01I was asked to join or invited to join Hill PH party list 152
05:10and hoping to serve again the Filipino people.
05:15Yes.
05:15And good morning, good evening, and good afternoon to all.
05:21I'm Dr. Andrew Jimenez.
05:25I'm an optometrist.
05:27And at the same time, I'm a registered nurse here in the Philippines
05:30and also in Australia.
05:33Now, I have been working in Australia for several years,
05:38six years or more.
05:39And I saw the difference of our healthcare system
05:43between Australia and Philippines.
05:46And also, we want to somehow bring that system,
05:52that benefit from other countries to our country.
05:57So, that's why I was invited to join Hill PH party list 152,
06:03hoping that we can somehow integrate that healthcare system
06:11in our country.
06:13Actually, Mildred, I can read your mind.
06:18How individually are we now sitting here with you
06:22with different backgrounds?
06:25Yes.
06:25Can you imagine these three bottles of water?
06:29Okay, they're separate.
06:30It can be another bottle, for example.
06:33But because we are united with one good purpose,
06:38and then you ask us, what is that?
06:40What is the main advocacy or the main platform of Hill PH?
06:51Okay, our byline is,
06:53may pag-asa ka sa health card.
06:56Yes, you have your hopes for a health card.
07:00Exactly what is this health card?
07:02It goes back to universal healthcare.
07:05The purpose and goal of universal healthcare is that every Filipino has access
07:12to affordable, quality medical services.
07:18Anywhere, every time.
07:20And so, we, at the Hill PH party list, wanted to make sure that we understand what universal healthcare is,
07:31what's the progress, what are the gaps.
07:34Now that it's only six years, the law says that there is an oversight committee that is going to review
07:42the progress on the implementation of universal healthcare act.
07:45And we just found out gaps.
07:48One of them is the high out-of-pocket cost.
07:53The health expenditure, for example, is 1.4 trillion pesos.
07:59The money that can pay for these health expenditures,
08:03you add all up, the DOH budget, field health funds, HMO funds,
08:10senior citizen discounts, everything.
08:14It's only 700 billion pesos.
08:16The rest is out-of-pocket.
08:19That is where we position the health card.
08:22It will supplement everything that government can pay.
08:27It's coming from taxes.
08:29And the health card makes sure that anyone who gets sick,
08:33and you have this huge bill,
08:35and then it already deducts everything,
08:39and still, you have this amount to pay,
08:43the health card is your guarantee.
08:45It's unlimited.
08:46It's going to be with the poor people at first, public hospitals.
08:54Then it grows until every one of us will get the benefits from that health card.
09:00The health card will be funded by government.
09:03It's taxes.
09:04It's going to be from multiple sources.
09:08In fact, it can be just like an HMO card.
09:12It can be similar to field health.
09:14But the thing is, it addresses one thing,
09:19which is not addressed by the others.
09:21It's an out-of-pocket cost.
09:23We remove it from your burden.
09:27So, how ready is also our health care system,
09:32such as our public hospitals,
09:34how ready are they also to cater to those who will avail the health card?
09:40Oh, that's a good question,
09:42because Andrew here has his sights on the certain elements of the universal health care,
09:51as well as Benny.
09:53Benny, for example, has looked at the sights on infrastructure.
09:57Benny, maybe you want to share what we found out
10:01on the gaps on the health infrastructure,
10:03and how our partners are going to address support,
10:07all the initiatives.
10:08That's correct.
10:09I think initially we have to address part of what we have to advocate
10:14for an improved health care system in our country
10:18is the infrastructure or the facilities that have to cater to the,
10:24or attend to the medical services of our people.
10:28One is the absence of the rural health care facilities
10:35in the remote areas.
10:37I refer to the barangays and the local government units.
10:42We understand that the national government has now pulled out its support
10:48to the barangay health clinics in giving priority in establishing special hospital services
10:59services in the metropolitan centers.
11:01So that pulls away the focus of national government and leaving the local governments
11:11to attend to the barangays of the local government needs.
11:15And there's a big gap that has to be addressed.
11:19And if I refer to where I came from, which is as a retired military officer,
11:26there is only one hospital that caters to the retired military officers that is found in Quezon City,
11:36providing for free medical attention, medicines and operations to retired military officers.
11:45And that is found in Quezon City, it is the Veterans Medical Memorial Center.
11:52So you will find that retired personnel of the armed forces coming from the other parts of the country,
12:00as far as Mindanao or Northern Luzon, and Visayas have to travel those distances just to avail the free medical services.
12:12And on top of that, it is only the retired military officers that are given such benefit.
12:20The other members of the uniformed services, such as the police, the BGMP, the Bureau of Fire, the Coast Guard,
12:29are not also provided when they retire.
12:32So that alone which I come from, there is already a significant gap that the national government has to attend to
12:40in order that everybody, especially when given the appropriate health card that we want to endorse,
12:49should also have the appropriate facilities to cater for the needs of our country.
12:55And we have data to support what Betty has just said.
12:57For example, there are 1,351 hospitals in the Philippines,
13:03around up to 60,000 beds, and we are now 117 million Filipinos, and it's climbing.
13:12That's 1.9 million to 2.1 million babies born every year.
13:17And the beds to population is now at 1.35 per 1,000 population,
13:25but there are many areas, it's only 0.5 or even less than 0.5, especially in the barm area.
13:33So that's not enough.
13:34So even if we are so proud of espousing the health card,
13:39where are they going to use it if there's no health facility?
13:42And so therefore, we also thought about technology.
13:46I remember when it was the pandemic, I actually initiated the scale-up of telemedicine,
13:53remote consultation.
13:55So that's possible for remote areas, because even during the pandemic,
13:59those on lockdown were actually behaving like they were in remote areas.
14:05They cannot access any clinic because all were closed, there were lockdowns,
14:09and so telemedicine saved the day.
14:12It's true, like in many areas, there's no hospitals, but we have internet connections.
14:19Yeah, so that's why in HealPH152, we only have three platforms,
14:26namely, which is the Dr. Eric I mentioned,
14:31and then to how to get accessibility and health card with General Benny,
14:37and infrastructure.
14:37And the important one is the number three, which is to modernize also the healthcare facilities.
14:45You have the health card, you have the structure, but you don't have the modern equipment.
14:50Maybe, Andrew, I can give them a scenario.
14:52The third leading cause of death is strokes.
14:56And I've just confided with a neurosurgeon.
15:01Eric, did you know that there is a critical two hours between the onset of symptoms
15:08that can actually save a life of that stroke patient?
15:15But it requires a CT scan.
15:19You know why?
15:19Because the neurosurgeon or the physician looking at this stroke case
15:26has to differentiate whether there's bleeding or not,
15:31because it will involve a different procedure.
15:37But should we buy CT scans for every corner?
15:42We don't.
15:43We don't have all the resources.
15:44That's why the Universal Health Care Act made sure there's a provider network.
15:51So if you have a CT scan here, make sure the others can actually use this.
15:56So the operative work is making arrangements.
15:59How can I make arrangements that a stroke in my area can, within two hours,
16:07actually reach a health facility that can do a CT scan?
16:12So that should be in the planning.
16:13So it's not just limited to government hospitals then.
16:18So there's like a network of...
16:21Public and private.
16:22That's correct.
16:23Because there are areas where the only health facilities that's actually in the area
16:29is a private hospital.
16:31So it should not make any of us delay a consultation
16:39just because it's a private hospital.
16:40So it is a health card.
16:42It's a guarantee.
16:44I don't have to worry about whether or not the private hospital
16:48is going to tell me that I have these bills already,
16:52even before they start giving me care.
16:54The health card, make sure you do the right thing ahead of everything you're thinking.
17:03And to add with Dr. Eric's mentioning,
17:08it's not only the equipment, it's also the training of healthcare professionals.
17:15So we have very modern equipment, but apparently we lack the training.
17:22So it's left out for just example, nothing.
17:27And then also with only that equipment, we have to also improve, continuing improvement also.
17:35So this is a part of a package of the modernization in our healthcare.
17:40So not only the equipment, it's also the training.
17:43DJ Mildred, maybe you can help us.
17:45Because when we were discussing about this health card, this access,
17:49there is one segment of the population that may not be listening to us right now.
17:57The youth, because they think, I'm strong, I'm healthy.
18:04Well, it's the senior, anyway, it's the elder persons, persons with disability,
18:10those who have these morbid conditions, just gonna need the health card.
18:15We are strong, we are healthy.
18:17But remember, okay, you're smoking, you're drinking alcohol,
18:22your diet is not so healthy, you're not into exercises,
18:28and then what you're doing now is stressful.
18:31And in a couple of years' time, you will actually need the health card.
18:37And why would you wait when you can be responsible for your health right now?
18:44So the health card is open for every living Filipino citizen.
18:50Yes.
18:50Including OFWs?
18:52Yes.
18:53Okay.
18:54So how do we also make sure that they don't overwhelm our facilities?
18:59Because as of this time, part of the limitation might just be
19:03people don't go to healthcare facilities is because they don't have the means.
19:07Now with the card, they will have the means.
19:10So how do we also make sure that our existing facilities are not overwhelmed?
19:14That is why we would want to top the education sector so that there is a preemptive measure
19:23that is undertaken by them so that we would not want them to get sick.
19:29We should learn to live healthy with the proper education.
19:34Perhaps that could be addressed.
19:35To add what General Bennie said, where I experience in other countries, like Australia perhaps,
19:46during their high school years, they were already integrated in the healthcare system in physical education.
19:58They're very good in sports and in which they teach their kids to be healthy, to eat right, sleep this amount of...
20:07And they do it in their school.
20:09So preventive is better than curative, right?
20:13In Philippine setting, we have that.
20:16But however, it's not pushed properly or it needs a more pushing path.
20:23Yeah.
20:24In fact, we look at our situation right now.
20:27Hospitals have their own outpatient clinics.
20:31And in fact, they have annexes outside.
20:35They are found in malls, etc.
20:37When we look at the Singapore experiment, they invested more on health centers where people actually live.
20:47In the communities.
20:48That's in barangayas, right?
20:49Yes, so that they can easily prevent it and not in the hospitals.
20:53In the U.S., for example, they have delinked outpatient services from the hospitals.
21:01In hospitals, it's only patients who will need care inside the hospital.
21:05If it's outpatient, you go somewhere else.
21:09You don't go to a hospital.
21:11So you do not create a long line.
21:15And the doctors there cannot take care of the patient.
21:18Instead of hanging between the wards and the outpatient, they are dedicated doctors now, health workers, and even nurses can help.
21:29Right now, the nurses are perceived as only assistants to doctors when, in fact, they can take care of very common illnesses.
21:38So that has to change.
21:40So with that set up, we really need to empower the barangayas health centers, which right now, all they do is like injection for vaccines.
21:49That happens because there's no demand.
21:54It's demand and supply.
21:57So no one's going to the barangayas health centers.
22:01So why would we even have medicines, disequitment?
22:05Because everyone goes to the hospital.
22:08So it becomes a cycle.
22:09But if there's a demand, people are really going to the health centers before they go to hospitals, they will make sure there's medicine, there's laboratory.
22:21Exactly.
22:22That's what PhilHealth is doing, the consulta package.
22:25But it's not going fast as they have intended it.
22:30Because local governments have the responsibility.
22:34Did you know that Universal Health Care Act is based on one unique Filipino trait?
22:41Bayanihan.
22:42It's not just PhilHealth.
22:44It's not DOH.
22:45It's not all the other entities.
22:47It's not DSWD.
22:49It starts with us, which I mentioned earlier.
22:52So I think we've covered about health care facilities.
22:56And I think Doc Andrew mentioned a little bit about professionals.
23:00Yes.
23:01Is it part of your scope also to address the growing impression that we have a shortage of health care personnel also in the Philippines?
23:10Yes.
23:10Actually, to correct you with that, we don't have a shortage of health care professionals.
23:16We have a surplus.
23:18That's why other countries are picking Philippines.
23:20Because number one, we have language integrated as English.
23:26We speak good language of English rather than other countries.
23:30The thing of our students, newly graduates, they just practice one year.
23:37They just practice two years.
23:39And they go off to other countries because the pay is good.
23:42The training is good.
23:43So what we want, HEAL PH 152, is somehow to make like a policy that when you graduate, okay, you serve your country two years or five years.
23:58And in that way, we wouldn't have a shortage of health care personnel.
24:04So this is actually what happened.
24:06So we thought that we have a shortage of nurses as doctors.
24:13No, we have surplus.
24:14When I was at the Department of Health, for example, Andrew, we have so many unfilled vacancies.
24:22Because there are changing behaviors of these health professionals, they don't want to be tied up with a certain institution.
24:31It's like they're giving services in several institutions on a contractual basis.
24:40So they have control of their time.
24:43But of course, they don't get the benefits.
24:47And we have volumes of health care personnel who are having this job order status.
24:55When in fact, yes, when in fact, you have a vacancy.
25:02And when we ask, why are you not giving them the permanent positions?
25:06It's their eligibility.
25:08For example, there is a strict requirement for any health care professional that you should have finished at least a residency training program, etc.
25:19And those on job orders have forgotten their dreams, they did not finish any residency training program, they lost their confidence to continue their education.
25:32And so therefore, they cannot get the position.
25:34They're stuck.
25:36There's an interesting information that I would want to share with you.
25:40When I was commander of the training doctrines command task to recruit soldiers for the army, many of my soldiers at the time were nursing graduates.
25:52So they ended up doing soldiery work rather than doing nursing work for our country.
26:00A mismatch.
26:01Yes.
26:02What about, this is also impression, so correct us also if we're wrong, no?
26:07What about also addressing an impression that our doctors and nurses are not paid competitively?
26:15That's why they opt to move out of the country, which impacts our health care system also.
26:21It has a big impact on our health care system.
26:24We have good doctors, good nurses, and allied health care workers.
26:31But apparently, because of the salary grade compared to abroad, it's a wide gap.
26:37So they prefer to go to other countries.
26:41But Andre, I'd like to add to that.
26:42In the public sector, there's the standardization of salary rates.
26:48There's the Magna Carta.
26:49No, it's creating a gap between the private and the public because the private professionals are not getting the salaries they deserve.
27:00And so one solution to get out of itself is maybe raise it to the giving wage standard.
27:11So if you're giving an entry position in the private sector, a nurse, for example, at $10,000 per month, and the living wage in that area is $25,000, raise it, and the hospital gets, for example, a tax relief, a tax incentive.
27:30So things can be done actually.
27:32You can actually make arrangements.
27:34That's the operative word.
27:35And unless we think about this, we are stuck in that situation that they're not getting their money's worth.
27:44But you know, in the public sector, for example, the health care professionals, that's why we call them heroes.
27:52It's not actually the salary.
27:54As much as they get from their patients, they're automatically paid.
27:58Relieving the suffering, making sure that nobody dies during their rotation of duty is also a big step for them.
28:08But of course, we are, by human nature, needs to survive economically.
28:16And so if we forget that and just give them these words, you are heroes, that will not be enough.
28:24Maybe in the first few years, but later on, you will see that, oh, my colleagues are already way out there, and I'm stuck here.
28:32So you think that's...
28:33It's going to be a demoralizing effect.
28:36Yes.
28:36And then maybe we can do standardization and skill-based, you know.
28:42I was telling them when I was starting my career, I was earning 2,000 pesos a month.
28:48And then on payday, okay, there are demandas there.
28:53Dr. Tayak, it's your fourth give for that cent you got from us.
29:00Okay.
29:01Minus na kagad.
29:03Pagbalik mo, ano na ito?
29:05Popil na lang.
29:06That's what's there.
29:07That's happening also.
29:08Yeah, so I think benefits, additional benefits for healthcare workers, standardization, public and private should be the same.
29:19Increase, but, you know, based on skills.
29:22But, Andrew Benin, remember, it's not only about these salaries.
29:25It's your working conditions.
29:26Yes, working conditions as well.
29:28They're tired.
29:29Did you know that others have to work 12-hour shifts?
29:34It should be eight-hour shifts.
29:36It's beyond human.
29:37Yes, it's true.
29:38How can you get good healthcare when you're abusing the one providing care?
29:46It falls back to shortage of healthcare.
29:49And it's making arrangements.
29:51For example, you have this group of nurses giving their services.
29:58Then you have an extra team.
30:01You're monitoring.
30:02Okay, get out of that.
30:04The extra team is going to take care of your patients now.
30:08So you can make an utterly make arrangements.
30:11And we have done this during the COVID.
30:14And there's still a pandemic.
30:16And suddenly, we've forgotten how we did very well during the pandemic.
30:21That has to change.
30:23Yeah, it's true.
30:24There's a lot of innovations.
30:26You know, we're honestly, we were kind of flexible to...
30:30Because we're all...
30:31Maybe Milind, can you share with us one of those innovations?
30:34And maybe we can include it in our proposal.
30:37No, no.
30:37Like, how...
30:38What's happening with COVID?
30:40We're not prepared for it.
30:42The medicines, the vaccines.
30:45We're not.
30:45We don't have the facilities.
30:47But we survived.
30:48Yeah.
30:49Yes.
30:49And suddenly, we're losing it again.
30:51Yeah.
30:52And so...
30:53Bakit that?
30:54Why?
30:55Why?
30:55We don't have a healthy age.
30:57Ayun.
30:57That's why.
30:58That's why.
30:58Sure.
30:59Whatever.
30:59That's why.
31:00That's why.
31:01That's why.
31:01That's why.
31:02Healthy age.
31:03Healthy age.
31:03I want you to be healthy.
31:05Yes.
31:07Okay.
31:07So much as we really wanted to get more from you, but we're short of time.
31:17Good luck to healthy age.
31:21And belated happy birthday.
31:24Glad to be my cake.
31:25Have a later.
31:26Happy birthday.
31:26I think it's a good sign that you guys are celebrating the same.
31:30Yes.
31:31If we were actually sharing food, admit takeout.
31:39Takeout is our conversation.
31:43And we have our team.
31:45They're actually listing the conversations we had.
31:49We're going to review it and make sure that we're able to recalibrate.
31:54our proposal because we are really very serious.
31:58And I think health is a very important factor that government should really provide.
32:04Yes.
32:04I agree.
32:06Provide funds.
32:09Yes, infrastructure is needed.
32:10But what do we need to do if we don't have the people who use infrastructure?
32:16Right.
32:17I agree.
32:18So it's been a very good conversation so far, but we're not done yet.
32:22Yes.
32:23So for the five core questions, we will have them when we come back.
32:26And welcome back.
32:36We're back to the second set of our Beyond the Ballot 2025 interview series.
32:40We're down to the five core questions for our guests.
32:45The first question, what are your top legislative priorities to improve healthcare access in underserved communities across the Philippines?
32:55Thank you, Mildred.
32:57If we win with all your support for a healthy age party list number 152, initially there are just two.
33:04Expanding the Universal Healthcare Act to make sure there are adequate funds that can provide the services we just mentioned earlier.
33:14And that number two, the strict enforcement.
33:19We cannot give anything to chances anymore.
33:24Everything has to be by clockwork.
33:27And that's the legislative agenda.
33:29And we hope that if we win, as soon as Congress opens, ours is number one in the agenda.
33:37And of course, the health card is our second agenda, legislative agenda.
33:42So that it becomes a reality, not a dream.
33:47So that our supporters will know that we are really serious about this.
33:53May pag-asa ka na sa health card.
33:56So for the second core question, how does HEAL PH plan to support mental health programs, especially for the youth and the marginalized sector?
34:10DJ, now that you said that, there's a 2018 National Mental Health Act of 2018.
34:18And we are looking at slow progress of this mental health act, especially that it has organized a council already.
34:27They need funds.
34:29You need funds for medicines.
34:31And we have said a while ago, for example, DJ, that it's not about this psychosis, this mental health illness, the well-being, because there's no health without mental health.
34:45For example, for the youth, we make sure we reach out to them.
34:51And basically, the law says that there should be community-based services for them.
34:57We have to make sure.
34:58The HEAL PH part of this wants to make sure that this really happens.
35:03We don't want Filipinos having these mental health issues.
35:07Not now, not tomorrow, because everybody should be healthy, physically and mentally.
35:18For our third question, what specific policies do you propose to ensure better working conditions and fair wages for our healthcare workers?
35:27Okay.
35:28Mildred, that's a very interesting topic and it's a very good question.
35:32We want to have a standardized wages that's including private hospitals.
35:40If you notice, private hospitals has smaller wages compared to the public hospitals.
35:46So we want that standardized across the board.
35:51And then also, what we can do is we want to make it as a skill-based salary grade system.
36:01So if you are longer in the healthcare system, you have higher pay scale.
36:05If you are well-trained, you have higher pay scale, just like in other countries.
36:10So you start with nursing number one or in medical number one, then you have this much salary.
36:16If you are in grade, let's say, five, you have higher scale.
36:21So depending on how they train.
36:25Okay.
36:25And then another thing also is I want to emphasize is better working condition.
36:31Because most of our healthcare professionals are working to their maximum energy.
36:37Instead of working eight hours to 10 hours, sometimes they are extending their hours to 24 hours or even 16 hours.
36:47Sometimes they have double shift already.
36:49And sometimes it does not permit you.
36:52So if you have extended working hours, chances are you have a high chance of making a mistake.
37:00That's why when I work in abroad, they are very particular of your number of hours.
37:05That's why we can integrate it here and make it as a policy.
37:11And then also your patient ratio to healthcare staff.
37:17In other countries, you only have what?
37:21To eight to 10.
37:23Here, you have 20 to 40.
37:25Oh my gosh.
37:26Can you do that?
37:27Maybe, but not forever.
37:29So that's why we have to set limits.
37:32We have to have standardized.
37:33We have to have good policies.
37:36We have to learn from our past.
37:39And then another package is another what we wanted to do is the benefits for the allied healthcare personnel.
37:48Now, in doctors, they have this extra share in field health.
37:56But some of the allied healthcare does not.
38:01For the fourth question, how will your party list address health infrastructure gaps, particularly in rural and far-flung areas?
38:11Yes, that's correct, DJ.
38:13The gaps in our infrastructure in health services, particularly in the rural areas, is precisely why Healthy Aids, number 152 in the ballot, would like to pursue our agenda.
38:30And these gaps is more or less become strained or underscored because the focus now of the Department of Health has been in building specialized hospitals, leaving the rural areas, the support for the rural areas already undermined.
38:56So we would want, at Hill PH, to channel more funds from the national government to support the health services at the barangays and the rural areas.
39:08And we will need this so that we could establish our priorities.
39:13We would need a mapping of the infrastructure.
39:17Remember that infrastructure does not only mean facilities.
39:22It also means all the other arrangements that comes in providing for the health services, such as personnel or doctors, modern equipment to cater for the health services that are needed in the barangays.
39:36And this will need also inviting our private partners to support us in the light of corporate social responsibility.
39:51And all of this we'll have to put together so that we need Hill PH's party list to orchestrate all of that and put it in a policy for government to implement.
40:03So don't forget, vote Hill PH's party list in this coming lecture number 152 in the ballot.
40:11For our last question, what is your stance on public versus private healthcare?
40:17And how will your policies balance both sectors to serve the Filipino people best?
40:22Let's do away with competition.
40:25Let's do collaboration.
40:26And the private sector can actually help with our gaps in infrastructure.
40:32We mentioned earlier that the national government has made their sights on improving the modernization,
40:43especially with specialty centers, with government or public hospitals.
40:47These left local governments with not enough funds for their own infrastructure.
40:57The private sector can pour funds and build what local governments would require and get tax incentives.
41:08The Filipino people is watching.
41:11We are closing messages.
41:13Thank you, Mildred.
41:15This coming election, please don't forget, Hill PH 152 Sa Balota.
41:20Now what we can offer is only three health card, modernized hospital facility, and accessibility to hospital care.
41:33So again, 152 Hill PH.
41:38Okay, Mildred.
41:42Sa mas maayos na pangkalusugan sa kapwa nating mga Pilipino, tandaan ang party list, Hill PH, number 152 Sa Balota, iboto sa darating na eleksyon.
41:56During this holy week, include in your prayers that we will be successful in our advocacy.
42:08May pag-asa ka sa health card.
42:12But more than that, gusto namin healthy kayo.
42:16But please also remember this.
42:19Of all the problems each one of us will encounter as life goes by, it's the health problem that's the root of all our problems.
42:34So why not start with health?
42:37And the Hill PH party list is your companion for your health needs.
42:46Vote!
42:47Hill PH party list number 152.
42:52And that's on May 12th.
42:54Remember, please vote.
42:56So that wraps up our conversation with the nominees of Hill PH party list.
43:05And we'd like to thank Dr. Eric Tayag, General Benny de Leon, and Dr. Andrew Jimenez.
43:11And of course, Captain Edison Chihuahua is joining us here at the studio for joining and sharing their insights and advocacy.
43:18Mildred and Jane, not to interrupt you, here's the health card.
43:27We hope we gave you a clearer picture of what Hill PH party list stands for and how they aim to serve the Filipino people through representation and legislative endeavors.
43:40As voters, it's important that we look beyond slogans and dig deeper into the people and the platforms behind each party list.
43:50So stay informed, ask questions, and vote wisely.
43:54So this has been another episode of Beyond the Ballot, brought to you by Sunstar Cebu.
44:00I'm DJ Moises.
44:02I'm Yildred Galarpe.
44:04Thank you and good afternoon.
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