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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Herrera to 'do everything' for restoration of P500-M cancer assistance fund

Herrera to 'do everything' for restoration of P500-M cancer assistance fund

Published Sep 14, 2022 10:33 am

A ranking lady solon in the House of Representatives has vowed to take up the cudgels for cancer vicitms in the Philippines amid efforts to restore the P500-million line item appropriation for cancer patients in the proposed P5.268-trillion national budget for 2023.

Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera


“We will do everything in our power to make sure that the cancer assistance fund will be included in the final version of the 2023 national budget,” said Deputy Minority Leader and Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera in a statement Wednesday, Sept. 14.

During the House deliberations on the 2023 budget proposal of the Department of Health (DOH), DOH Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, upon interpellation by Herrera, revealed that the cancer assistance fund was not included in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) submitted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to Congress.

The assistance fund is a major component of Republic Act (RA) 11215 or the National Integrated Cancer Control (NICC) Act of 2019, which aims to provide cancer patients better access to affordable health care services.

Vergeire said that as soon as they found out the P500-million cancer fund was not included in the NEP or proposed budget, they moved for the restoration of the cancer fund, but the same was turned down by the DBM.

The acting DOH chief then appealed to members of the House Committee on Appropriations, who have been scrutinizing the government’s spending plan, to restore the cancer assistance fund in next year’s national budget.

“This financial assistance from the government will help defray treatment-related expenses for cancer patients who are facing financial challenges, especially amid the Covid-19 pandemic that really brought them to their knees,” Herrera pointed out.

Referring to Vergeire’s appeal, Herrera told her fellow lawmakers: “I hope that this committee was able to hear that."

"Napakahalaga po nito (This is very important) for our cancer patients, so I hope maibalik po natin sa DOH ‘yong (we can return to the DOH the) P500 million assistance na ‘yon for our cancer patients. Napakahirap po, ang dami pong lumalapit po sa atin (A lot of people are seeking help from us and it's a difficult situation). So, I hope we could consider that in this committee," she said.

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