Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara on Tuesday, January 23 reaffirmed the Senate’s commitment to fund the country’s first lung transplant program.

Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara and President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. graces the 42^nd founding anniversary of the Lung Center of the Philippines. Angara expressed confidence that the first-ever lung transplant program in the country is now closer to reality with continued funding through the initiative of the Senate Committee on Finance, which he chairs. (Photo courtesy of O/S Angara)

Angara, speaking at the 42^nd founding anniversary celebration of the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) in Quezon City, highlighted the inclusion of an additional P50-million for the LCP under the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

This is on top of the P20-million initial funding for the LCP under the 2022 GAA for the establishment of the Lung Transplant Program for Patients with Advanced Lung Disease.

The program seeks to provide Filipinos an affordable lung transplant for severe conditions such as lung cancer, emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, and other lung diseases.

According to Angara, the Senate ensured there is sufficient budget to help not just the LCP and the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) but also other government hospitals in the last two years.

“We’re happy to be a part of this very worthy program and we wish the NKTI, the Lung Center the best,” Angara said in a speech delivered at the LCP event, attended by none other than President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Also present during the LCP anniversary celebration were Quezon city Mayor Joy Belmonte; Rep. Ciriaco Gato Jr., chairman of the House Committee on Health; Dr. Vincent Balanag, Executive Director of LCP; and Dr. Rose Marie Rosete-Liquete, Executive Director of NKTI.

“This is truly a very important program for our people. We wish you all the best and you can count on our support in the Senate,” added Angara, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance.

Angara said the Senate’s financial support is expected to play a pivotal role in expediting the necessary infrastructure, medical equipment acquisition, and personnel training needed for the successful implementation of the lung transplant program.

The lawmaker, in turn, thanked President Marcos for providing essential policy guidance, noting the Chief Executive’s longstanding commitment to supporting specialty hospitals.

“We’d like to thank the President, of course for giving us the policy guidance at alam natin na noong 2022 campaign pa lang bukambibig na nya ‘yung pagtulong sa (and we know that since the 2022 campaign, he has already stated his willingness to help) specialty hospitals which we know are very dear to his heart,” Angara said.

Aside from the President, Angara noted that the President’s mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos also championed specialty hospitals such as the Philippine Heart Center, LCP, and NKTI.

Angara's advocacy for the lung transplant program stemmed from procedural challenges, as he noted that there are no hospital in the Philippines that currently possesses the capability to conduct a lung transplant for any Filipino in need.

Usually, he said Filipinos are compelled to seek lung transplant procedures at the Toronto General Hospital in Canada or the University of Vienna, but even with financial means to pursue treatment abroad, they have to hurdle the lack of prioritization.

Some doctors he said have recounted instances where patients tragically pass away after facing prolonged delays while waiting for suitable candidates.

“We’ve done the facilities in many of our state universities and colleges (SUCS) at alam natin na yan ay isa sa mga pangunahing programa ng ating mahal na pangulo (and we know that is one of the priorities of our President) under the Marcos administration,” Angara said.

“Hopefully these programs will be ahead of schedule and accelerated,” he stressed.