Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte (PPAB)

Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte is batting for a higher 2025 budget for the Department of Health (DOH) to ensure the construction of more super health centers as well as the refurbishment of existing centers across the country.

Under the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP), the country’s health sector, led by the DOH, has been earmarked with P297.6 billion. This is a decrease from this year’s current budget of P308.3 billion.

Villafuerte said in a statement on Thursday, Sept. 19, that providing a higher outlay for the department would help fund its priority initiatives. Notably, this includes the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP), which oversees the establishment of super health centers in partnership with local government units (LGUs).

He described super health centers as “better versions” of the common rural health units (RHUs) and medium-type versions of polyclinics, which were meant to decongest hospitals.

The lawmaker said reinforcing HFEP would also enable these centers to acquire top-grade medical equipment and pay for the salaries of doctors, nurses, and other staff.

“This will prevent existing and future super health centers from becoming empty, grass-filled structures that at times end up being used only for card games and drinking sessions,” he added. 

Villafuerte, president of the National Unity Party (NUP), recalled that President Marcos himself cited the need for super health centers during his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA).

“Katuwang din natin ang lokal na pamahalaan sa mga tinatayo nating mga super health centers. Sa tulong ng mga LGUs, malalagyan natin ng sapat na mga doktor at nars ang mga ito, at madadagdagan pa natin sa mga susunod na taon,” Marcos said in his address.

(We are also partnering with the local governments in building our super health centers. With the help of the LGUs, we can provide these centers with enough doctors and nurses, and we will be able to add more in the coming years.)

With this, Villafurte said higher funding for the DOH will allow the super health centers to acquire quality equipment and hire enough doctors and nurses.

“[This] will ensure that these facilities do not go the way of some barangay health centers that end up being empty or unused buildings,” the solon continued.

The House of Representatives has started plenary debates on the proposed national budget for 2025. 

The budget of the DOH, including its attached agencies and corporations, is scheduled to be up for debate on Monday, Sept. 23.