MANILA, Philippines — A "wish" list has been prepared by several individuals and groups for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) anchored on the need to address corruption in government and improve social services.
In a statement sent to The Manila Times, cardiologist and health advocate Dr. Anthony Leachon urged Marcos to make healthcare the centerpiece of his legacy.
He stressed that the middle class has become "the new poor," noting that one catastrophic illness – such as cancer, stroke, dialysis – can plunge a family into poverty.
"Meanwhile, the poor are given endless ayuda, fostering a mendicant mentality instead of empowerment. Worse, the MAIFIP ₱53 billion allocation last year violated the Universal Health Care law, which mandates PhilHealth as the single payor," Leachon said.
He stressed that healthcare was not charity, buy it is "justice. It is dignity. It is the foundation of a nation’s strength."
He called on Marcos to restore the funding of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation worth P600 billion to increase case rates, reduce out-of-pocket expenses, and finally realize the promise of Universal Health Care.
"Mr. President, history will not remember the speeches, but the lives saved. The Filipino people deserve a healthcare system that protects them from poverty, that honors their dignity, and that extends their lifespan from 70 to 85 years," Leachon said.
Meanwhile, the Parents and Teachers for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (Ptapp) has called on Marcos to certify as urgent the proposed Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Act, which was first filed in 2017.
They said that the measure would would strengthen efforts to prevent adolescent pregnancy by improving coordination among schools, parents, communities, health providers, and government agencies while expanding age-appropriate education and support for young people.
“Every teacher knows this reality: when a young person enters adolescence, they are already receiving messages about relationships, bodies, and sex, through social media, classmates, online content, and people around them. In my experience as an educator for 30 years, there is not a year that goes by that there is no child getting pregnant,” PTApp spokesman Maria Zaida Padullo, a school principal, said.
Meanwhile, a group of students and young Filipinos have demanded to end both the Marcos and Duterte dynasties in the country.
“We want our future back. We want leaders who invest in education instead of neglecting it, decent jobs instead of empty promises, safe schools, and a government that listens to young people. These are not impossible demands, they are the bare minimum every Filipino youth deserves.” Claire Lopez, vice chairman of Akbayan Youth, said.
