House Speaker Martin Romualdez (center) leads Friday's groundbreaking ceremony. (Speaker’s office)

House Speaker Martin Romualdez was among those who were promised by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) of "big accomplishments" in time for President Marcos' State of the Nation Address (SONA) later this year. 

PhilHealth President Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. boasted in a speech Friday, March 8 during the groundbreaking of Philippine Cancer Center (PCC) in Quezon City that these accomplishments could be used as material for Marcos' speech in his SONA. 

“Prinamis ko po siya (I promised it), and Speaker, I can assure you, and I've assured the First Lady [Liza Araneta-Marcos] and the President just last week, that in the upcoming SONA, a lot of accomplishments will come from PhilHealth and the Department of Health (DOH),” Ledesma said. 

The President's SONA takes place annually on the third week of July at the House of Representatives. 

“I have been with PhilHealth for 18 months. From the day I joined, I promised President Marcos and the First Lady that we would move PhilHealth forward and we would really address the healthcare of all Filipinos,” Ledesma said. 

He thanked Romualdez for pushing him to do more as head of the agency and assuring him of the full support of the House of Representatives in his endeavor to provide more services to Filipinos. 

“I would like to thank Speaker Martin. Speaker, I don't know if you recall, day one ko sa PhilHealth, sinabi mo sa akin, full support kami, basta no room for failure, failure is not an option,” Ledesma said. 

(On my first day in PhilHealth, you told me that you're giving me your full support, just no room for error.) 

“I accepted your challenge, Speaker, and I'd like to think, based on the words of PBBM (President Bongbong Marcos), so far, Speaker, we have delivered. Although the best is yet to come, Speaker. Promise po 'yan,” he added. 

Romualdez, House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan, local executives, and other congressmen were present during the groundbreaking of the PCC on Quezon Avenue,  Quezon City. 

The allocation for the center’s fixed assets and critical services was made through the House Committee on Appropriations as part of the mandate of Republic Act (RA) No.11215 and the Resource Stratified Framework set by the National Integrated Cancer Control Council. 

Ledesma bared that once the PCC becomes operational, the state health insurer will immediately work for its inclusion in its list of contracted partners so that “Filipinos may avail of these life-saving packages". 

“Let me assure you that PhilHealth will maintain its commitment to battle cancer at every step. We are one with the Philippine Cancer Center's mission of bringing hope to every Filipino in the fight against cancer,” he said. 

PhilHealth has just increased its breast cancer coverage in its Z-Benefit program. 

“After more than a decade, this particular package will see an increase of more than tenfold, 13 times to be exact po. A coverage of up to P1.4 million shall be afforded to breast cancer patients. The previous amount was P100,000, and just recently we had increased it 14 times to P1.4 million,” Ledesma said. 

“I'd like to think we were able to move forward substantially, and with the 24/7 never-ending support and help of our dear Speaker Martin Romualdez, we continue to do so," he said.