Cases of delayed salaries, denied benefits, anomalous transactions and other issues affecting the delivery of public health services, especially in the middle of a pandemic situation, would hopefully be a thing of the past if presidential candidate Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson wins in the May 9, 2022 elections.

This is according to public health advocate and senatorial candidate Dr. Minguita Padilla, who vowed to pursue Senate Bill 2498, or the ‘Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers’ (BHW), that Lacson and his running mate Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III filed in the Senate during the current 18th Congress.

On their maiden senatorial run, Padilla said she and fellow senatorial candidate Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Piñol would carry the torch that Lacson and Sotto would be leaving behind, if they both get elected as members of the 19th Congress in the Senate.

‘’Former Agriculture) Secretary Piñol and I, if we both get elected (as senators), we guarantee that we are going to fight for the Magna of BHWs. That is for sure because even right now we are fighting for it,’’ Padilla stressed.

Padilla also mentioned that public health workers, like those who are serving the barangays and other rural health units, must be insulated from politics. This is what the ‘Magna Carta of BHWs’ is trying to achieve by instituting dignified salaries, skills training, and other benefits for them.

‘’We’ve been telling all politicians that health should be insulated from politics. Okay? Health should be beyond politics. So, even if the barangay captain is replaced—even if the barangay captain doesn’t like you—the benefits must continue, right,’’ she added.

Part of the overall advocacies of Padilla in the area of public health is to prepare the country in facing future pandemics, which is tied to the comprehensive plan of Lacson in developing proactive strategies and solutions amid such crises.

Lacson and Padilla also vowed to fully implement the Universal Healthcare Act not only for the benefit of BHWs, but the general public, especially the marginalized sectors of society who are relying on government support for their medical needs.

Under the Universal Healthcare Act, all 42,047 barangays will be covered; all health workers shall receive their benefits; one hospital bed to 800 population; one RHU (rural health unit) for every 20,000 population, but it is not yet fully funded. We should not waste this law, Padilla pointed out.

Padilla also said she wants to apply modern technologies in bringing basic public health services, especially in remote villages and communities, where medical test results would be delivered through cloud storage facilities to save on travel costs for both the patients and healthcare workers.

‘’We can do a lot of things as long as we have political will and we have the correct vision. And, again, if public funds are going to public services and not in the pockets of whoever. That is very important, okay? So, don’t worry, we have many plans (for public health), but we need to win,’’ she added.