Willie Ong hits lack of COVID-19 hospitals despite debt worth trillions of pesos

Vice presidential aspirant Dr. Willie Ong on Tuesday hit the lack of hospitals built amid the COVID-19 pandemic despite the Philippines’ debt that has reached trillions of pesos.

Ong said he seeks to establish a hospital that specializes in infectious diseases, a children’s hospital, and a cancer center in the Philippines.

“Kawawa ‘yung may cancer natin. Murang-mura lang ang hospital, P3 billion. Mas mura pa sa face shield, 'di ba?” Ong said at the proclamation rally held in Manila.

(Pity those who have cancer. The construction of hospitals is cheap, P3 billion. The cost is lower than the price of face shields.)

“Ano ba yan? Ang dami na nating inutang, ni isang ospital, walang tinayo.”

(Why is that? We have many debts, and not even one hospital was built.)

Ong was referring to the government's debt, that has reached - as of December 2021 - almost the P12-trillion mark amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ong also seeks to increase the salary of teachers and heighten food security and food safety in the country.

“Kailangan palakasin ang FDA para siguradong ligtas ang pagkain. Hindi natin natutukan ‘yan maniwala kayo,” he said.

(The FDA [Food and Drug Administration] should be strengthened to ensure that our food is safe. Food safety was not a priority.)

Ong also seeks to provide free medicine for high blood, diabetes, kidney diseases, COVID-19 as well as free medicine for mental health.

For the war on drugs, Ong said the government should also focus on rehabilitation.

“Maganda ‘yung war on drugs. Pero ‘yung rehab, ‘yung tulong sa mga drug addict, two to three million 'di ba, kailangan natin ‘yung science based. Kailangan may psychiatry, psychology, may gamot sila para hindi na sila bumalik. Addiction po ‘yan eh,” he said.

(The war on drugs is a good program. But rehab, assistance to drug addicts - isn't it there are two to three million - that has to be Science-based. What is needed is psychiatry, psychology, they should be given medicine so they do not go back to drug addiction.) -- BAP, GMA News