MANILA, Philippines – Lawmakers have sought the immediate passage of the measure granting 50 percent discount to indigent children aged six and below on all medical services in government hospitals.
Bayan Muna Reps. Neri Colmenares and Teddy Casiño filed House Bill 4125 “to address the medical needs of children coming from indigent families” as they lamented that there has been no significant increase in government’s health budget in many years.
Based on National Capital Region (NCR) standards, an average hospital bill amounts to three times that of a minimum monthly salary, the HB 4125 stated.
“This measure likewise seeks to lower infant and child mortality rate as a form of immediate relief to the majority of underprivileged and health-deprived Filipino children,” the lawmakers said.
Quoting the Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD), the solons said 60 percent of Filipinos have no access to health care at all.
In filing the measure, they noted that the Philippines ranks 86th among 190 countries with the highest mortality rate for children below five years old. Throughout the world, more than 27,000 children under the age of five die everyday mostly from preventable causes, the party-list solons said.
source: Manila Bulletin
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