By Dr. Tony Leachon
Public health is the lifeblood of a nation. It is the foundation upon which education, productivity, and national progress rest. Yet, when incompetence festers in the ranks of public officials, the health of the people becomes collateral damage. To fight for our health is not merely to demand hospitals, medicines, or insurance—it is to demand integrity, competence, and vision from those entrusted with the sacred duty of governance.
In a recent episode of The Spokes, I captured the gravity of the country’s healthcare crisis with a striking metaphor. Referring to former Health Secretary Ted Herbosa’s knee replacement surgery, I quipped that the Department of Health itself is “down on its knees.” Beneath the humor lies a sobering truth: the Philippine health sector is in a critical state, and unless urgent reforms are prioritized, the nation risks further decline in its capacity to protect its people.
Into this moment of crisis steps Dr. Jose “Brix” Pujalte Jr., a renowned orthopedic surgeon and long-serving chief of the Philippine Orthopedic Center. He comes to our rescue to fix our fractured healthcare system, declaring to the media: “Panahon na para magbanat ng buto.” His words allude to the glaring lack of public service, decisive action, and performance that has long plagued the health sector. This is not mere rhetoric—it is a call to roll up sleeves, to work tirelessly, and to restore dignity to governance.
Healthcare is not a peripheral issue—it is the backbone of national development. A country cannot thrive if its citizens are sick, if hospitals are underfunded, and if public health systems are plagued by inefficiency and corruption. The pandemic exposed systemic weaknesses: inadequate hospital capacity, inequitable access to care, and fragile financing mechanisms. Yet even after the crisis, reforms remain sluggish. The Department of Health, burdened by bureaucracy and political distractions, struggles to deliver on its mandate. This is why the metaphor resonates—it is not just about knees buckling under strain, but about a system collapsing under neglect.
Incompetent leadership is more than a nuisance; it is a betrayal. Every mismanaged program, every squandered peso, every neglected reform translates into lives lost, families broken, and futures dimmed. The Universal Health Care law, the Sin Tax reforms, and pandemic response measures were designed to protect the Filipino people. But when leaders fail to implement them with rigor and honesty, these laws become hollow promises. The poor are left vulnerable, and the nation suffers.
Weeding out incompetence is not an act of cruelty—it is an act of justice. A garden cannot flourish if weeds choke its roots; a health system cannot thrive if corruption and negligence suffocate its mission. Competent officials must be empowered, while those who betray the public trust must be held accountable. Silence in the face of incompetence is complicity, and complicity is a crime against the people.
This is why I have urged the Department of Health to demand no less than ₱600 billion for PhilHealth in the 2027 national budget. The proposed ₱300 billion is grossly insufficient. The Supreme Court itself, in its December 5, 2025 ruling, declared unconstitutional the diversion of ₱60 billion from PhilHealth’s reserves in 2024. In 2025, PhilHealth received zero subsidy, creating a ₱330‑billion gap that left hospitals unpaid and patients burdened with higher costs. By 2026, billions in claims remained unsettled, government hospitals faced liquidity crises, and families continued to suffer. This is not just fiscal negligence—it is a moral failure.
The ₱600 billion proposal is corrective, not excessive. It seeks to:
• Settle arrears and restore legality.
• Protect vulnerable groups—senior citizens, indigents, persons with disabilities.
• Fulfill UHC’s mandate of equitable, accessible care.
Health care cannot be hostage to political expediency. The Supreme Court has spoken, the arrears are undeniable, and the moral imperative is urgent. For PhilHealth to truly embody universal health care, the government must act decisively—fund adequately, honor obligations, and protect the Filipino people.
The fight for health is, therefore, a fight for dignity. It is a fight to ensure that every Filipino—rich or poor, young or old—has access to care that is not compromised by politics or greed. It is a fight to remind our leaders that public office is not a privilege but a responsibility, not a platform for enrichment but a covenant with the people.
History teaches us that nations rise when leaders embody competence and moral courage. With Dr. Pujalte’s vow to “banat ng buto”, we are reminded that reform requires not only vision but relentless effort. We must demand no less. For if we fail to weed out incompetence today, we condemn future generations to inherit a broken system tomorrow. The time to act is now. The health of our people cannot wait.
— Dr. Tony Leachon
#RelentlessForChange #PublicHealthJustice #HealthWithHonor #UniversalHealthCare #BanatNgButo
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