“The actual DOH budget allotment for the Office of the Secretary under the National Expenditure Program is only P157 billion. This budget is a manifestation of the government’s insincerity to resolve the pandemic,” Benjamin Santos, the AHW secretary-general, said in a statement.“Likewise, the non-prioritization of health in the national budget appropriation is a gross and criminal neglect of the Duterte administration to ensure people’s health during this health crisis,” he added.
The health workers also noted that the current DOH budget did not address issues of the country’s health human resources like low salaries and job security. Such issues, if adequately address, would bring about quality health care for patients during the pandemic, the workers said.