The news item “Anti-malnutrition law needs funds” published in The Philippine STAR of Dec. 27, 2018 needs immediate attention and action on the part of the government. The item pertains to the newly signed law, Republic Act 11148, known as “The First 1,000 Days of Life” mandating the nutritional care for the newborn children up to 1,000 days.
This is not an isolated case, as there are many laws duly enacted by Congress that are not yet funded and many of them concern the health of the people. One of them is Rep. Act 10747, known as The Rare Diseases Act enacted by Congress in 2017 and up to now, it is not yet funded in the General Appropriations Act. I am familiar with this Act, as I was still working in Congress when this was deliberated upon.
Recently Congress passed the Universal Health Care Act, which is trumpeted about as a major act that will promote and protect the health of all. A few days after approval, the agencies concerned started clamoring for more funds.
Legislation is quick but the funding is drip by drip. The other day the Senate committee on health chairman Sen. JV Ejercito inspected government hospitals that are just buildings and therefore, are not ready to render universal health care, as shown in TV newscasts.
The major stumbling block to quick funding is the policy of Congress to pass laws and provide the funding of such laws in the following year’s Congressional session. Since the 8th Congress after the EDSA People Power, when I worked in Congress, this has been the practice.
It is time to provide the funding source in the approved bill, and change the practice of providing the funds in the next Congressional session, otherwise there will be many laws that are not funded. – Atty. Mafeo Vibal, vice president, External Affairs, Philippine Association of Retired Persons