Makati City Mayor and senatorial aspirant Abby Binay on Thursday, Feb. 13, called on the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to shoulder the cost of medical tests and other preventive healthcare measures, including regular checkups of Filipinos, to ensure their health and wellness amid the skyrocketing cost of healthcare services in the country.

“Why does PhilHealth not encourage you to have your regular check-up? Bakit hindi binabayaran kung magpapa-xray ka, magpapa-blood test ka every year? Kasi mas mura po ‘yun kaysa kung magkasakit ka. Dahil by then, mas mahal at mas malala na yung sakit mo (Why is PhilHealth not paying the cost of your x-ray and blood tests every year? It should be the one shouldering your medical expenses because it is much cheaper than you getting sick. Because by then, your ailment will be much more severe and costly)," Binay said, adding that the agency should encourage its members more to have regular check-ups and cover the costs.

On Feb. 11, the mayor said she will push for a comprehensive national healthcare program that will provide free maintenance medicines, including insulin and cancer drugs, as well as better health facilities for all Filipinos nationwide.

“Importante ang murang gamot, at kung kaya namang ibigay yung ibang mamahaling gamot nang libre, why not? Yung mga mahal na gamot ang kadalasang kailangan ng mga kababayan natin (Free or affordable medicines are important to our people. If we can provide them these expensive medicines for free, then why not? Most of the time, our people need these medicines the most)," Binay explained.

She explained that by providing citizens with free medicines, most especially those who can hardly afford them, it will provide them much needed reprieve at a time when prices of basic commodities are skyrocketing.

"Napakalaking tulong ito lalo na sa mga pamilya ng mga may malulubhang sakit tulad ng cancer, diabetes, at kidney disease. Hindi na nila kailangang mangutang para makapagpagamot ang kanilang mahal sa buhay (This will be a big help for families whose members have severe ailments such as cancer, diabetes, and kidney disease. They will no longer need to borrow money for their medical treatments)," the mayor stressed.

In addition to free maintenance medicines and other pharmaceutical products, the mayor is also proposing free and unlimited dialysis sessions and chemotherapy treatments.

Binay also plans to modernize public health facilities throughout the country.

“Kailangang ma-upgrade ang public health facilities natin para makapaghatid ng mahusay na serbisyong pangkalusugan sa ating mga kababayan kahit sa malalayong lugar (We have to upgrade all public health facilities in the country to be able to provide quality health services to all, particularly those living in remote areas)," she said.