Report - Social Watch Philippines

5. Revamping the health insurance system to
ensure universal health coverage, reduce outof-pocket
health expenses, and to institute a
progressive payment system subsidizing the
less economically advantaged in society.
A critical key to achieving these is ensuring fi nancing
and other forms of resources for health. If debt
repayments continue to be the top priority of public
spending, the government is at the onset already bound
to fail in fulfi lling its commitment to the international
health standard of allotting fi ve percent of GDP to
health. The MDGs, with MDG 4 in particular, would
add to an already growing list of unfunded mandates
that at best enhance the policy and legal environment
for development goals but do little to improve people’s
lives on the ground.
Seeking well-resourced mandates has gained more
urgency in the light of new obstacles in reducing child
86 SOCIAL WATCH PHILIPPINES
mortality. Disasters triggered by climate change deepen
pre-existing inequitable conditions, thereby increasing
the intensity of adverse impacts on the health and
well-being of the vulnerable and marginalized, such as
women and children.
References
DOH. 2010. Multi-Year Spending Plan.
Field Health Service Information System. 2000 and 2006.
National Demographic Health Survey. 1998, 2003, and 2008
National Demographic Survey. 1990 and 1993.
NNC. 2006. Briefi ng Kit. www.nnc.gov.ph.
National Nutrition Survey. 1998, 2003, and 2008.
Romualdez, A. Former Secretary of the Department of Health,
and Dean, Graduate School of Health Sciences Pamantasan ng
Lungsod ng Maynila.
UNICEF. 2009. State of the World’s Children 2009 report. United
Nations Children’s Fund.