Vice presidential candidate Dr. Willie T. Ong said he decided to run for the second highest position in the country in a bid to improve the healthcare system in the Philippines.
In Manila Bulletin’s Hot Seat forum on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022, Ong said he wanted to improve the health sector in the country to save the lives of the Filipino people.
“Lowest tayo sa health care system, lowest tayo sa salary ng mga doctors and nurses, number two exporter tayo ng doctors, number one exporter tayo ng nurses, then you ask me why I ran (We are the lowest in the health care system, we are the lowest in terms of giving salary for doctors and nurses, we are number two exporter of doctors, we are number one exporter of nurses, then you ask me why I ran),” Ong told a panel composed of MB editors and content producers.
“As a doctor, I just want to help people. I’m an internist and a cardiologist. So for 27 years, I’ve been doing charity work for our poor people. And believe it or not, for the past 20 plus years, I have not charged any professional fee, talagang parang ginawa kong vocation (it was just like a vocation),” he said.
Ong, who has over 16 million followers in Facebook and more than seven million subscribers in Youtube, recalled the time when he wrote columns and articles for various publications, including Manila Bulletin, to reach more people before going into social media.
“When there are so many followers, there is this responsibility in your heart na baka (maybe) instead of giving advice on what to do baka (maybe) give them free medicines for blood pressure, free medicines, why not build Cancer Center of the Philippines to save more lives. So that’s the reason why I went into politics,” he said.
The vice presidential aspirant had previously bared his plans to create an infectious disease hospital, children’s hospital, and Cancer Center of the Philippines.
He has been pushing for more hospitals to be built, saying this would be the best solution in this time of pandemic.
“I was born well-off, ito lang ang mission ko this is what I will do, I hope I can contribute something positive to Philippine politics, hopefully change it a little bit to something better," Ong added.
Asked if he will be able to handle other national issues in a situation where he is needed to take the presidency in case of the President's death, disability, or resignation, he confidently said: “Kaya ko lahat ‘yun (I can do it all).”
“If something happens to the president, eh syempre ikaw mag-a-assume. Tuloy tuloy lang (eh of course you will assume. We will just keep going). All cabinet secretaries will stay put. Kung ano ang mga agreements with the president itutuloy natin. Kailangan stable yung business. Kung ano ang priority laws, programs, itutuloy natin. At least two to three months, after that, baka babaguhin ko ng konti (All agreements with the president we will continue. The business needs to be stable. The priority laws, programs, we will continue. At least two to three months, after that, I might change it a little),” he said.
While his expertise in the health sector can’t be denied, Ong assured that he can also be of help to other sectors in the government.
“Lahat ng issue kaya ko naman, nagkataon lang kasi na sobrang linya ko yung isa, yung health. Pero yung iba kaya ko rin yun... (I can handle all the issues, it's just that the health sector is my expertise. But I can handle other sectors too),” he assured.
“Marami po akong sectors na pwedeng tulungan, pero yung problema natin sa health sector, sobra sobra sobra (I can help many sectors, but our problem in the health sector is too much),” he said.
Ong recently said he would take any position that will be given, but acknowledged that he would most likely be given the health portfolio.
The cardiologist also bared why he decided to join his running mate, presidential candidate and Manila mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso.
“Si Isko nakita ko matalino, kung di siya matalino di ako sasama.He did so many things, kaya napalaki yung dream ko (I saw that Isko is smart, if he's not smart I won't join him. He did so many things, so my dream became bigger),” he said.
“With Mayor Isko, it’s not just us, we have a team. We have several advisors, senators, experts. May plano na (We already have a plan), we have this Bilis Kilos 10-point agenda, so alam na namin ang gagawin namin sa West Philippine Sea, charter change, naka-line up na. Pero ang focus namin minimum basic needs which is education, housing, jobs, dun ilalagay ang budget ng government (So we already know what we are going to do — in the West Philippine Sea, charter change, it is already lined up. But our focus is minimum basic needs which is education, housing, jobs. That is where we will put the government budget),” he pointed out.
Ong, meanwhile, expressed his readiness to work with other presidential candidates in case Domagoso does not win.
“I talked with Bongbong Marcos last year. We talked for three hours. He was asking me to teach him how to blog at that time,” he shared.
“Kay Sen. Pacquiao na invite din ako (I got invited) many times. Sen. Lacson nainvite din niya ako (I also got invited). Kay Leni and Kiko , wala akong problema. I’m close with Kiko. We talked for two hours, a month before filing, nagpapaturo din siya mag-blog (he was asking me to teach him how to blog),” he said.
“So wala akong problema (I don’t have a problem) with them. I can work with anyone,” Ong added.
Ong also maintained that he continues to not accept contributions to his campaign from anyone.
“I’ve done two things different from other politicians. First, I don’t accept any campaign funds. I’m not saying I will not accept campaign funds, maybe in the future, kasi ganyan naman ang laro sa politika (that's how politics play),” he said.
He also vowed not to make any ill statements against his competitors even if there was much pressure to do so.
“Hindi ako maninira sa ibang candidates, If you are in my position, I tell you, the pressure and the incentive to say something negative, ang lakas. Pero hindi ko personality ‘yun (I will not attack other candidates, If you are in my position, I tell you, the pressure and the incentive to say something negative is really strong. But that’s not my personality),” he said.
“You don’t need to bring others down to bring yourself up,” Ong stressed.
Ong ran for senator under Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) in 2019 and placed 18th overall.
Last October, he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for vice president in the 2022 national elections.