Ensuring food safety in the country will also be one of the top priorities of vice presidential candidate Dr. Willie Ong if he wins in the May polls.
While he is known for his expertise in the health sector, Ong said he also wants to address food security as well as food safety in the country.
“Alam niyo namang linya ko ang pandemic response, kalusugan, so bukod doon mayroon pa tayong ibang gustong itulong. Napakahalaga ng food security, alam natin yan. Pero para sa akin, gusto ko dagdagan ng food safety (You know my line is the pandemic response, health, so besides that, I have other sectors I want to help. Food security is very important, we know that. But for me, I want to strengthen food safety),” Ong said during the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) PiliPinas Debate 2022 on Sunday, March 20.
“Gusto ko ligtas ‘yung mga pagkain natin. Katulad ng mga delata na galing sa ibang bansa, siguro ba tayo na nachecheck ‘yan? Maayos ba yan? Kailangan natin palakasin ‘yung FDA natin, mga isda natin, mga mercury level, eh napaka polluted ng tubig natin, pati sa baboy, mga gulay (I want our food to be safe. Like the canned goods from other countries, were that already checked? We need to strengthen our FDA, our fish, its mercury levels, our water is very polluted, also pork, vegetables),” he pointed out.
The cardiologist also noted that life expectancy in the Philippines is low compared to other countries.
“Mababa ang life expectancy sa Pilipinas, 70 years old lang sa ibang bansa 90 years old. Ang dami natin sakit dito. Tingin ko hindi ligtas ang pagkain natin kasi developing country tayo (Life expectancy is low in the Philippines, only 70 years old while in other countries 89 years old. We have a lot of diseases here. I don't think our food is safe because we are a developing country),” he cited.
Ong, meanwhile, said he would pursue a health approach instead of a criminal justice approach in dealing with drug problems.
“Hindi ko gusto masyado ‘yung criminal justice approach, pwede natin gawin ‘yung public health approach lalo na sa drug user. Alam naman natin na sakit yan eh.... Kailangan more psychiatrists, more psychologists, at ginagamot sila para makabaliik sila (I don't like the criminal justice approach too much, we can take the public health approach especially for drug users. We know it's an illness. They need more psychiatrists, more psychologists, and they are being treated so they can come back),” he said.
Ong added he wants to focus on education and mental health problems.