Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 26) — Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said Monday he would push for the gradual increase of funding for the Department of Health (DOH).
While the country’s spending on health is still prioritized, with at least a 5.28% share of the gross domestic product (GDP), Herbosa said he wanted to “triple” the allotted budget.The secretary noted the DOH secured more than ₱300 billion from the national expenditure program.“I’d love to have, like the US that spends 17% of its GDP, Japan and Singapore spend like 15%… I still have to triple it,” he said during a briefing.However, he admitted that many government agencies face budget absorptive capacity issues.“So I need to do this slowly,” he said.Herbosa said that the government must slash spending on infrastructure, arguing that it takes too long before Filipinos can feel the changes.
