DURING the Senate plenary deliberations on Tuesday, November 12, on the proposed 2025 budget of the Department of Health (DOH), Senator Christopher “Bong” Go expressed concerns over the proposed budget for Regional Specialty Centers, warning that insufficient funds could significantly impact the development of these facilities, which aim to decentralize specialized healthcare to all regions.
As the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go reminded the chamber of the significance of Republic Act No. 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, passed in the 19th Congress which he principally sponsored and authored, as a major legislative step toward enhancing healthcare accessibility.
“With this law, hindi na dapat kakailanganin pumunta po ng Maynila ang mga pasyente na may malulubhang karamdaman. Specialty Centers will be available in DOH hospitals in various regions in the country,” Go elaborated.
“Ang ginawa po natin, ilalagay po ito sa mga selected DOH hospitals across the country. Hindi po siya stand alone para mas mabilis. At may mga existing facilities na po ang ating mga DOH (regional) hospitals.”
He explained that the government has established a multi-year plan for these centers in accordance with the law, funded in phases to ensure their continuity and effectiveness, reducing the barriers to specialized care and addressing the needs of patients across the provinces.
The envisioned result of this Act is that people from provincial areas no longer have to travel to Metro Manila, which often imposes high transportation costs and logistical issues for families who may lack a place to stay or relatives in the city.
However, Go raised concerns over the budget allocations for these specialty centers in the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP). Despite the expectation of a substantial budget to continue the rollout, the allocation stood at only PHP 3.5 billion—a figure that may fall short of what is deemed necessary for uninterrupted construction and operation.
Go cited prior discussions with DOH officials who mentioned separate funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) intended to supplement the funding for these centers.
In response, Senator Pia Cayetano who was sponsoring the health budget, provided details on the status of the specialty centers and the rationale behind the current budget allocation. She noted that while there were 349 designated centers, only 172 were fully functional. The remaining facilities are in various stages of development, each requiring resources for completion.
Cayetano clarified that the reduction in the 2025 NEP budget was due in part to the ongoing construction funded by the PHP 11.12 billion appropriated in the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA). Since these funds were still being utilized, additional budget requests were deferred.
Continuing his line of questioning, Go inquired about the status of the ADB funding, initially allocated as emergency pandemic support but subsequently redirected to support the regional specialty centers. Go questioned why these funds were yet to be released and why the delay in approval persisted.
Cayetano responded that the ADB loan facility was indeed intended to support equipment procurement for the centers, but the disbursement awaited standard approvals from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
Go pressed on, voicing his concerns about the need for sufficient budget, especially given the administration’s stated priorities around healthcare improvement and specialty center expansion. He questioned the rationale behind the budget reduction from PHP 11 billion in 2024 to PHP 3.5 billion in 2025.
“Priority po ito ng ating administration sa ngayon, bakit bumaba from PHP 11 billion sa 2024, naging PHP 3.5 billion (sa 2025) kung importante po itong specialty centers at kaya nga po isinabatas po natin ito?”
Cayetano addressed this concern by drawing a parallel with the implementation of the Doctor Para sa Bayan Act. She noted that, similar to the specialty centers, the medical schools needed infrastructure upgrades, additional laboratories, and increased student capacity to fulfill the Act’s requirements. This required a multi-year funding approach, allowing the existing facilities to adapt and expand capacity gradually.
For the Regional Specialty Centers, she outlined a comparable phased approach. In addition to constructing infrastructure, the centers require equipment and trained medical professionals to ensure that the facilities are not only functional but fully equipped to handle complex cases.
Cayetano highlighted that half of the specialty centers were functional and receiving support, including specialized staffing like radiologic technologists, underscoring that developing such facilities takes time.
Recognizing the importance of a strategic approach, Go expressed his hope that these specialty centers would not end up as underutilized or abandoned facilities, which he referred to as “white elephants.”
“Importante po rito that we are on track, ‘no? At hindi maging white elephant po ito,” Go emphasized.
Cayetano concurred, reiterating that the phased allocation was intended to avoid such outcomes, as building infrastructure alone was insufficient without also developing the necessary equipment and human resources. She assured that the government was committed to ensuring that the centers were operational and effective in delivering the intended healthcare services.
In closing, Go expressed his ongoing commitment to monitoring the progress of the Regional Specialty Centers Act, underscoring his belief in the importance of accessible and equitable healthcare for all Filipinos.
He reaffirmed his expectation that sufficient funds would be allocated appropriately and that the development of the specialty centers would remain a priority within the health committee’s oversight.
