PHILIPPINE Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) chairman Junie E. Cua backs the creation of a coordinating council for the efficient implementation of the Universal Healthcare law.
“The coordinating council will be helpful in assessing the UHC law’s effectiveness, which gaps need to be addressed, and which strengths can be replicated,” Cua said.
“Amid the various barriers that have been identified in the implementation of the UHC, the council could provide a strategy that ensures the system is working well,” he added.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa has said that President Marcos Jr. has approved the creation of the council, which will serve as a governing body to oversee the implementation of the UHC law, the estimated total of the national cost for the UHC, and its implementation at the local government level.
The DOH will chair the council, with the Department of the Interior and Local Government as co-chair.
The council would also include the following agencies: Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Finance, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, Philippine Regulation Commission, National Economic and Development Authority, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Commission on Higher Education and Department of Education.
Cua underscored the importance of closely coordinating with local government units in the integration of healthcare systems.
“Mahalaga ang constant communication and close coordination sa pagitan ng national government at LGU (Constant communication and close coordination with between the national government and the LGUs are very import). What we want is to achieve the right balance between standardized policies and the individual context of each LGU,” Cua, a former governor and congressman of Quirino province, said.
For the PCSO’s part, Cua vowed that they would strive to gain more revenues to increase its contribution to the UHC funds.
“Our rallying cry is to continue to strive for more revenue so we can help more Filipinos through our contribution to the UHC,” he said.
The agency is mandated to allocate 40 percent of its charity fund to help subsidize UHC. It has turned over P471.5 million to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. last month for its contribution for the third quarter of 2023.
