Healthworkers party-list seeks House seat

The Health workers party-list filed its certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) on Thursday for the 2025 polls.

The group vowed to fight for "free healthcare for all" and oppose the transfer of P89 billion -state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corporation  (Philhealth) funds to the national treasury.

The Healthworkers party-list group first three nominees are:

• Robert Mendoza (midwife)
• Maristella Abenojar (nurse)
• Dr. Benigno Santi II

Mendoza said the group’s platform is anchored on three principles: protection of health workers, health of the people and corruption-free governance.

“Hindi tayo pabor roon pagbalik ng ating [unused] Philhealth  fund na P89 million dahil pondo, pera ito ng taumbayan. Dapat nga magkaroon talaga ng libre serbisyo pangkalusugan at dapat ibigay ito ng libre sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan,” Mendoza told reporters.

(We are not in favor of the Philhealth fund transfer because that is the people’s money. Poor Filipinos should be able to access free health care services to begin with.)

Mendoza said such transfer is bewildering given that the Department of Health (DOH) itself admits that 7 out of 10 Filipinos die without seeing a doctor.

“Alam natin na kahit sinasabi nila na hindi naman ito nanggaling doon sa contribution, pero nakita [naman] natin [na] annually, mayroong budget na inilalaan ang ating gobyerno sa PhilHealth. Why not na lang na idagdag na lang ito doon sa assistance for indigent patients?” Mendoza asked.

(While they say this amount is not part of the Philhealth contribution of its members, Philhealth is already getting a huge amount of subsidies from the government every year. Why not use [the unused fund] to shore up services to indigent patients?)

Aside from Healthworkers party-list, other party-list groups which filed CONA on day 3 of filing include:

• 1-AGILA party-list
• SWERTE party-list
• FPJ Panday Bayanihan party-list
• Barangay Health and Wellness (BHW) party-list
• Solid North Party-list

--VAL, GMA Integrated News